PREDICTING FACTORS OF ADHERENCE TO REGIMENS AMONG ADOLESCENTS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS

Abstract

The purposes of this predictive correlational research were to study the level of adherence to  regimens, examine the relationships and predictability of predicting factors. The subjects of the study selected by multi-stage random sampling were 158 adolescent  out-patients with HIV/AIDS visiting HIV clinics in 5 regional hospitals: Lampang Hospital, Sappasitthiprasong Hospital, Choaphraya Yommarat Hospital, Chonburi Hospital, and Maharaj Nakhonsithammarat Hospital. Data were collected by questionnaires. All questionnaires were tested for content validities by a panel of experts. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were adherence to  regimens .81, perceived benefits to treatment .75, perceived barriers to treatment .90, self-efficacy .87, social support .94, disclosure to diagnosis .63, and stigma questionnaires .85.  Multiple regression was used in statistical analysis.
The major findings were as follows:
1. Mean score of adherence to regimens of adolescents living with HIV/AIDS was at a good level (  =  3.29, SD = 0.33)
2.  Perceived benefits to treatment, Self efficacy, Social support and Disclosure to diagnosis were positively related to adherence to regimens among adolescents living with HIV/AIDS (r = .373, .559, .463, and .370, respectively). Perceived barriers to treatment and Stigma were negatively  related to adherence to regimens among adolescents living with HIV/AIDS (r = -.252, and -.194, respectively).
3. Self efficacy, Social support, Disclosure to diagnosis, Perceived benefits to treatment, Stigma, and Perceived barriers to treatment increased the explained variance in adherence. Variables accounted for 42.3% of total variance in adherence. The equation derived from the standardized score was:
Adherence to  regimens =   0.361 Z Self-efficacy* +  0.210 Z Social Support* + 0.258 Z Disclosure to diagnosis * +
0.090 Z Perceived benefits to treatment + 0.124 Z Stigma – 0.077 Z Perceived barriers to treatment