Challenges in assessing self-reported adherence to antiretroviral therapy among individuals living with HIV/AIDS and mental disorders
Studies focusing on individuals living with HIV and mental disorders are crucial to inform and enhance care for this inherently vulnerable population group, especially considering that people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) are more likely to develop mental disorders compared to the general population, contributing to lower adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study cross-sectional study aimed to assess self-reported adherence to antiretroviral therapy among PLHIV and moderate or severe mental disorders in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Patient-reported data from PLHIV who received care in at least one of the Psychosocial Care Network facilities of the Brazilian Unified Health System from 2014 to 2018 were collected to assess the adherence to ART. Among the 76 participants eligible, 35 were included in the study. Substance use-related mental disorders were the most prevalent (45.7%), followed by mood disorders (25.7%) and anxiety (11.4%). Most of the participants had a low ART adherence (62.9%), followed by insufficient adherence (22.9%) and good adherence (14.3%). No significant associations were found between the adherence to ART and the study variables. Our findings suggest the importance of assessing adherence based on both direct and indirect measures, as biological markers and self-report.
Authors
- L. A. da Silva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3258-4736)
- Lisany Krug Mareto
- R Silva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8931-4310)
- Cláudia Du Bocage Santos-Pinto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5478-4977)
- Camila Guadeluppe Maciel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4317-8506)
- Ana Isabel do Nascimento (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2473-0054)
- Danilo dos Santos Conrado
- Priscilla Arashiro
- Márcio José de Medeiros (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8562-256X)
- Gabriel Serrano Ramires Koch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9424-5492)
- Luís Osório (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3515-7772)
- Everton Falcão de Oliveira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0074-5278)
- Maria Elizabeth Araújo Ajalla (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0678-2782)
- João Cesar Pereira da Cunha (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7092-882X)
- Micael Viana de Azevedo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8248-2669)
- S Borges (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1739-4096)
- Letícia Suemi Arakaki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6650-7152)
- Rodrigo Mayer Pucci (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1913-2479)
- Maria Eduarda de Souza Rodrigues
- Samara Tessari Pires (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3759-2543)
- Simony Portela do Carmo Drumond (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8785-2529)
Institutions
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (BR)
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (BR)
- Secretaria Municipal de Saúde (BR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMC Research Notes
- Published
- 2025-07-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07368-z
- Primary Topic
- HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Governo Brasil
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul