Influential Factors of Medication Adherence in the HIV-Positive African-American Female Population

Abstract

Medication adherence of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a critical factor of the quality of life in people living with HIV/AIDS. Near perfect levels of medication adherence is needed to optimally suppress viral load, though they are not frequently achieved. African American women constitute as the biggest group of women living with HIV/AIDS. Currently, the relationship between medication adherence and African American HIV-positive women is not clearly understood, but is vital to the livelihood of this population. We performed a systematic review in order to understand what factors influence medication adherence in African American HIV-positive women. We examined peer-reviewed studies published between 2006 and 2016 using a variety of databases. An initial search yielded 808 studies, of which 14 studies met our inclusion criteria. Conspiracy beliefs, medical mistrust, social support, stigma, and depression appear to impact medication adherence in this population. Healthcare providers must foster trusting relationships with their patients, be able to identify barriers of emotional support, and address mental health in their treatment plans.