Adherence to antiretroviral therapy, stigma and behavioral risk factors in HIV-infected adolescents in Asia

• Main Authors: Wasana Prasitsuebsai, Chuenkamol Sethaputra, Pagakrong Lumbiganon, Rawiwan Hansudewechakul, Kulkanya Chokephaibulkit, Khanh Huu Truong, Lam Van Nguyen, Kamarul Azahar Mohd Razali, Nik Khairulddin Nik Yusoff, Moy Siew Fong, Sirinya Teeraananchai, Jintanat Ananworanich, Nicolas Durier
• Other Authors: National Hospital of Pediatrics Hanoi
• Format: Article
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: Medicine; Psychology; Social Sciences
• Online Access: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/46596
• Institution: Mahidol University

© 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. We studied behavioral risks among HIV-infected and uninfected adolescents using an audio computer-assisted self-interview. A prospective cohort study was initiated between 2013 and 2014 in Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. HIV-infected adolescents were matched to uninfected adolescents (4:1) by sex and age group (12–14 and 15–18 years). We enrolled 250 HIV-infected (48% male; median age 14.5 years; 93% perinatally infected) and 59 uninfected (51% male; median age 14.1 years) adolescents. At enrollment, HIV-infected adolescents were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for a median (IQR) of 7.5 (4.7–10.2) years, and 14% had HIV-RNA >1000 copies/mL; 19% reported adherence <80%. Eighty-four (34%) HIV-infected and 26 (44%) uninfected adolescents reported having ever smoked cigarettes or drunk alcohol (p = 0.13); 10% of HIV-infected and 17% of uninfected adolescents reported having initiated sexual activity; 6 of the HIV-infected adolescents had HIV-RNA >1000 copies/mL. Risk behaviors were common among adolescents, with few differences between those with and without HIV.