Medication Adherence in HIV/AIDS

From The Critics

Reviewer: Ameeta E Singh, BMBS, MSc(University of Alberta)
Description: This book describes the complex issue of medication adherence in HIV/AIDS.
Purpose: Noncompliance to current antiretroviral therapy (ARV) may be one of the greatest public health challenges associated with the management of patients with HIV/AIDS with consequences extending beyond the individual and including societal and ethical considerations. The book is intended to, and does, provide an overview of the scope of the problem of adherence to ARV in HIV/AIDS, presents possible solutions, includes validated measuring instruments and includes sections on challenges in special populations such as minorities, adolescents, pregnant women, those with mental illness and drug users.
Audience: "Although the book primarily targets clinicians, the complexity of the issue makes the book an important resource for other healthcare professionals, including pharmacists and social workers involved in the care of persons living with HIV/AIDS. "
Features: The large font and clear layout of the chapters makes the book easy to read. A short abstract begins each chapter, which contains detailed references, tables and a few figures. The book contains a short previously validated questionnaire (page 87), which may assist clinicians wishing to evaluate individual patients compliance with medications. The last section of the book includes chapters on possible solutions to this difficult problem, including a table summarizing potential solutions on page 348.
Assessment: This is an important resource for clinicians and other healthcare professionals caring for patients with HIV/AIDS who wish to optimize adherence to treatment and therefore improve patient survival and minimize the risk of development of a resistant virus.

3 Stars from Doody