The influence of religious beliefs and practices on health care decision-making among HIV positive adolescents. Issue 7 (2nd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lyon, Maureen E.; D'Angelo, Lawrence J.; Cheng, Yao I.; Dallas, Ronald H.; Garvie, Patricia A.; Wang, Jichuan
• Is Part Of: AIDS care. Volume 32:Issue 7(2020)
• Page Start: 896
• Page End: 900
• Publication Date: 2020-07-02
• Subjects: Adolescent -- advance care planning -- decision-making -- religiousness -- spirituality -- end-of-life treatment preferences -- medication adherence; AIDS (Disease) -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Care -- Periodicals; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; 362.1969792
• DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2019.1668523
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0954-0121

Abstract

ABSTRACT: It is unknown if religiousness/spirituality influences end-of-life treatment preferences among adolescents. Investigators assessed whether religiousness/spirituality moderates the relationship between an advance care planning intervention and end-of-life treatment preferences among 85 primarily African-American adolescents living with HIV/AIDS in outpatient-hospital-based HIV-specialty clinics in the United States. Adolescents aged 14–21 years living with HIV/AIDS and their families were randomized to three-weekly-60-minute sessions either: advance care planning (survey, goals of care conversation, advance directive); or control (developmental history, safety tips, nutrition/exercise). At 3-months post-intervention the intervention effect ( decreasing the likelihood of choosing to continue treatments in all situations ) was significantly moderated by religiousness/spirituality. Highly religious/spiritual adolescents were four times more likely to choose to continue treatments in all situations . Thus, intensive treatments at end-of-life may represent health equity, rather than health disparity. The belief believed that HIV is a punishment from God at baseline (15%, 14/94) was not associated with end-of-life treatment preferences. Twelve percent (11/94) reported they had stopped taking HIV medications for more than 3 days because of the belief in a miracle. Religiousness moderates adolescent's medical decision-making. Adolescents who believe in miracles should receive chaplaincy referrals to help maintain medication adherence.