The purpose of this study is to determine whether cognitive rehabilitation or psychoeducation impacts medication adherence in HIV-1 seropositive individuals.
Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) has proven extremely effective in the treatment of HIV and AIDS, the ability to effectively combat the disease is inconsequential when individuals do not take their medication as prescribed and do not attend their scheduled medical appointments. Non-adherence to effective ART and medical visits is widespread in the United States, especially among ethnic minorities. A recent study indicated that patients who miss a medical appointment in the first year of an HIV diagnosis show over twice the mortality rate of patients who attended all visits. This study is developed to investigate the relationship between HIV Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND) and adherence to HIV treatment among traditionally marginalized populations. Participants will be administered a brief neuropsychiatric screener. Participants will be randomly enrolled one of two cognitive rehabilitation programs so they may learn compensatory cognitive strategies to remain treatment adherent, or they will be receive psychoeducation concerning the importance of taking their medications and regularly attending medical appointments. Participants will be tracked and followed-up with regarding their treatment adherence in regular intervals over the course of 6 months.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
60
Provide cognitive techniques and teach compensatory strategies that subjects can use to help them remember to attend appointments, take their medications regularly, increase attention (conversational and task) and concentration, increase cognitive flexibility, develop better problem-solving skills.
Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, California, United States
RECRUITINGChange in Medication Adherence in 6 Months (adherence score)
Patients may experience an increase in treatment adherence. High scores indicate increased levels of adherence, while low scores reflect difficulties with treatment adherence.
Time frame: 1,2, 3, 6 months
Change in Self Efficacy in 6 Months (subjective self-control score)
Subjects may experience an increase in subjective self-control over their HIV treatment. High scores indicate high levels of perceived control over their treatment, while lower scores reflect a reduced amount of perceived self-efficacy over their treatment.
Time frame: 1, 2, 3, 6 months
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