Effects of a Phone Call Intervention to Promote Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy and Quality of Life of HIV/AIDS Patients in Baoshan, China: A Randomized Controlled Trial. (17th January 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Dongsheng; Sangthong, Rassamee; McNeil, Edward; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi; Zheng, Weibin; Yang, Xuemei
• Other Names: Nicholas P. K. Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: AIDS research and treatment. Volume 2013(2013)
• Publication Date: 2013-01-17
• Subjects: AIDS (Disease) -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Research -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Treatment -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Care -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Services for -- Periodicals; 616.979205
• DOI: 10.1155/2013/580974
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-1240

Abstract

Abstract : Background . Suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is still pervasive. The effect of using a mobile phone call intervention to improve patient adherence is currently not known. Objective . This study aims to investigate the effects of a phone call intervention on adherence to ART and quality of life (QOL) of treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients. Methods . A randomized controlled trial was conducted in the three largest public hospitals. Adherence was measured by self-completed questionnaires. QOL was assessed by the WHOQOL-HIV BREF. Outcomes were assessed at day 15, at 1, 2, and 3 months after start of treatment for treatment-naive patients and at 3 months after study enrollment for treatment-experienced patients. Results . A total of 103 treatment-naive and 93 treatment-experienced HIV/AIDS patients were consecutively recruited. Results show that a phone call intervention could maintain high self-reported adherence among both treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients. After three months, significant QOL improvements were observed in domains of physical health ( P = 0.003 ), level of independence ( P = 0.018 ), environment ( P = 0.002 ), and spirituality/religion/personal beliefs ( P = 0.021 ) among treatment-naive patients. Conclusion . A mobile phone call intervention to patients could maintain high adherence rates although no statistically significant differences were found. A phone call could improve some domains of QOL among treatment-naive patients.