Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a disease that is taken control by antiretroviral therapy (ART) that the individual must adhere to. Antiretroviral drug adherence is the second strongest predictor of progression to AIDS and death, after the CD4 count since it’s hard to fit into an already busy schedule (Cichocki, 2009). Incomplete adherence to ART, however, is common in all groups of treated individuals. The average rate of obedience to ART is approximately 70%, despite the fact that long-term viral suppression requires near-perfect adherence (Nokes, Johnson, Webel, Rose, Rose & Rose, 2012). Nonadherence to ART may eventually undermine the dramatic improvements in HIV-related health parameters (Cichocki, 2009). The purpose of the study conducted was to explore the potential mediating role of treatment obedience self-efficacy in the relationships between Social Cognitive Theory constructs and self-reported ART constancy. (Nokes et al., 2012)
Clinicians working with patients on ART need an accurate and relatively simple method of assessing adherence in order to support its vital role in treatment outcomes. In contrast to the objective measures used primarily in research settings, patient self-report is a relatively simple and efficient method of assessing adherence in clinical practice. When compared with objective measures such as MEMS caps and unannounced pill counts, self-assessment is a less sensitive measure of nonadherence (ie, overestimates adherence). For example, a 6-month observational study of 67 antiretroviral-experienced individuals found that the mean 1-week adherence was 78% by self-report and 53% by MEMS monitoring (Nokes et al, 2012). In another study, which followed 108 patients on recently prescribed ART for 48 weeks, mean adherence was 93% by self-report, 83% by pill count, and 63% by MEMS caps (Nokes et al, 2012). Several other studies indicate similar overestimates of adherence by self-report when compared with MEMS caps and pill counts....