The Clarification of Depression and Social Support's Contribution to the Prediction of Antiretroviral Medication Adherence and the Rate of CD4 in People with HIV

Abstract

<p>With the development of the antiretroviral therapy, the number of the people with HIV is increasing; therefore, identifying the factors affecting HIV is of great importance. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the antiretroviral medication adherence and the rate of CD4 with depression and social support in the people with HIV. The research method was a descriptive study kind of correlation. The statistical population included all patients with HIV in Shiraz, of whom, 220 people who had referred to the Behavioral Diseases Consultation Center were selected using the available sampling method. Philips et al.’s Social Support Questionnaire, Beck's Depression Questionnaire II, and ACTG Medication Adherence Questionnaire were used as the research tools. Results were analyzed using the stepwise regression and stepwise hierarchical multiple regression. Regression analysis showed that social support and depression variables could predict totally 47% (P&lt;0.001) of changes of medication adherence variable, and depression could predict only 2% (P&lt;0.01) of rate variance of CD4.</p>