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AIDS and Behavior

01-01-2017 | Original Paper

Interpersonal Mechanisms Contributing to the Association Between HIV-Related Internalized Stigma and Medication Adherence

Authors: C. Blake Helms, Janet M. Turan, Ghislaine Atkins, Mirjam-Colette Kempf, Olivio J. Clay, James L. Raper, Michael J. Mugavero, Bulent Turan

Published in: AIDS and Behavior | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Previous research suggests that people living with HIV (PLWH) sometimes internalize HIV-related stigma existing in the community and experience feelings of inferiority and shame due to their HIV status, which can have negative consequences for treatment adherence. PLWH’s interpersonal concerns about how their HIV status may affect the security of their existing relationships may help explain how internalized stigma affects adherence behaviors. In a cross-sectional study conducted between March 2013 and January 2015 in Birmingham, AL, 180 PLWH recruited from an outpatient HIV clinic completed previously validated measures of internalized stigma, attachment styles, and concern about being seen while taking HIV medication. Participants also self-reported their HIV medication adherence. Higher levels of HIV-related internalized stigma, attachment-related anxiety (i.e., fear of abandonment by relationship partners), and concerns about being seen by others while taking HIV medication were all associated with worse medication adherence. The effect of HIV-related internalized stigma on medication adherence was mediated by attachment-related anxiety and by concerns about being seen by others while taking HIV medication. Given that medication adherence is vitally important for PLWH to achieve long-term positive health outcomes, understanding interpersonal factors affecting medication adherence is crucial. Interventions aimed at improving HIV treatment adherence should address interpersonal factors as well as intrapersonal factors.
Footnotes
1
Participants without missing data did not differ from participants with missing data on any of the study variables (all p values >.11), except that participants without missing data were older (t = 2.56, p = .01).
 
2
The interaction of avoidance and anxiety did not show a significant effect on medication adherence.
 
3
The indirect effect was also significant when controlling for avoidance.
 
4
Concern about being seen taking HIV medication was not normally distributed (Kolmogorov–Smirnov z = 2.20, p < .05). However, a regression analysis using bootstrapping (with 1000 bootstrapping samples), which does not require a normal distribution, yielded very similar results.
 
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Metadata
Title
Interpersonal Mechanisms Contributing to the Association Between HIV-Related Internalized Stigma and Medication Adherence
Authors
C. Blake Helms
Janet M. Turan
Ghislaine Atkins
Mirjam-Colette Kempf
Olivio J. Clay
James L. Raper
Michael J. Mugavero
Bulent Turan
Publication date
01-01-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
AIDS and Behavior / Issue 1/2017
Print ISSN: 1090-7165
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3254
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1320-2

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