Objective: to examine the relationships among non-conventional practices, adherence and immune functioning in individuals with HIV. Methods: 92 participants completed an interview on non-conventional practices (complementary and alternative medicines (CAM), psychosocial therapies, and religious practice). They also completed the Psychiatric Symptom Index and the AIDS Clinical Trials Group Adherence Follow-up Questionnaire. Medical chart reviews determined CD4 count and viral load. Results: Hierarchical logistic regressions revealed religious practice was associated with adherence and CAM was associated with viral load. Conclusion: Participation in non-conventional practices in HIV populations may lead to positive health and health behaviors. Clinical implications are discussed.
Antoni MH, Carric, AW, Duran RE, Spitzer S., Penedo F., Ironson G., et al. (2006) Randomized clinical trial of cognitive behavioral stress management on human immunodeficiency virus viral load in gay men treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy. Psychosomatic Medicine68: 143-151.
2.
Batson D. ( 2004) Religion: its core psychological functions. In: Pyszczynski J, Koole T and Greenberg SL (eds) Handbook of Experimental Existential Psychology. New York : Guilford Press, pp. 141-155.
3.
Belanoff JK, Sund B., Koopman C., Blasey C., Flamm J., Schatzberg AF, et al. (2005) A randomized trial of the efficacy of group therapy in changing viral load and CD4 counts in individuals living with HIV infection. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine35(4): 349-362.
4.
Borman JE, Gifford AL, Shively M., Smith TL, Redwine L., Kelly A., et al. (2006) Effects of spiritual mantra repetitions on HIV outcomes: a randomized control trial. Journal of Behavioral Medicine29: 359-376.
5.
Carrico, A.W., and Antoni, M.H. ( 2008). Effects of psychological interventions on neuroendocrine hormone regulation and immune status in HIV-positive persons: A review of randomized controlled trials. Psychosomatic Medicine, 70, 575-584.
6.
Carrico AW, Johnson MO, Moskowitz JT, Neilands TB, Morin SF, Charlebois ED, et al. (2007) Affect regulation, stimulant use, and viral load among HIV-positive persons on anti-retroviral therapy. Psychosomatic Medicine69(8): 785-792.
7.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009) Living with HIV. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/brochures/livingwithhiv.htm
8.
Chesney MA, Ickovics JR, Chambers DB, Gifford AL, Neidig J., Zwickl B., et al. (2000) Self reported adherence to antiretroviral medications among participants in HIV clinical trials: the AACTG adherence instruments. AIDS Care12(3): 255-266.
9.
Chida Y. and Vedhara K. ( 2009) Adverse psychological factors predict poorer prognosis in HIV disease: a meta-analytic review of prospective investigations. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity23(4): 434-445.
10.
Cook PF, McCabe MM, Emiliozzi S. and Pointer L. ( 2009) Telephone nurse counseling improves HIV medication adherence: an effectiveness study. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care20(4): 316-325.
11.
Fairfield KM, Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Libman H. and Phillips RS ( 1998) Patterns of use, expenditures, and perceived efficacy of complementary and alternative therapies in HIV-infected patients. Archives of Internal Medicine158: 2257-2264.
12.
Fitzpatrick AL, Standish LJ, Berger J., Kim JG, Calabrese C. and Polissar N. ( 2007) Survival in HIV-1 positive adults practicing psychological or spiritual activities for one year. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine13(5): 18-24.
13.
Funck-Brentano I., Dalban C., Veber F., Quartier P., Hefez S., et al. (2005) Evaluation of a peer support group therapy for HIV-infected adolescents. AIDS19: 1501-1508.
14.
Ilfeld FW ( 1976) Further validation of a psychiatric symptom index in a normal population. Psychological Report39: 1215-1228.
15.
Ironson G., Stuetzle R. and Fletcher M. ( 2006) An increase in religiousness/spirituality occurs after HIV diagnosis and predicts slower disease progression over 4 years in people with HIV. Journal of General Internal Medicine21(5): S62-S68.
16.
Irwin MR, Olmstead R. and Oxman MN ( 2007) Augmenting immune responses to varicellazoster virus in older adults: a randomized controlled trial of Tai Chi. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society55: 511-517.
17.
Kirk JB and Goetz MB ( 2009). Human immunodeficiency virus in an aging population, a complication of success. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society57(11): 2129-2138.
18.
Knippels HM and Weiss JJ ( 2000) Use of alternative medicine in a sample of HIV-positive gay men: An exploratory study of prevalence and use characteristics. AIDS Care12: 435-446.
19.
Lansky A., Brooks JT, DiNenno E., Heffelfinger J., Hall HI and Mermin J. ( 2010) Epidemiology of HIV in the United States. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome55(Suppl. 2) S64- S68.
20.
Lapperriere A., Ironson GH, Antoni MH, Pomm H., Jones DJ, Ishii M., et al. (2005) Decreased depression up to one year following CBSM+ intervention in depressed women with AIDS: the smart/EST women’s project. Journal of Health Psychology10: 223-231.
21.
Levin JS ( 1994) Religion and health: is there an association, is it valid, and is it causal?Social Science and Medicine38: 1475-1482.
22.
McCain NL, Gray P., Elswick RJ, Robins JW, Tuck I., Water JM, et al. (2008) A randomized clinical trial of alternative stress management interventions in persons with HIV infection. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology76(3): 431-441.
23.
MacMaster SA, Crawford SL, Jones JL, Rasch RF, Thompson SJ and Sanders EC ( 2007) Metropolitan Community AIDS Network: faith-based culturally relevant services for African American substance users at risk of HIV. Health and Social Work32: 151-154.
24.
Marcus MT, Walker T., Swint JM, Smith BP, Brown C., Busen N., et al. (2004) Community-based participatory research to prevent substance abuse and HIV/AIDS in African-American adolescents. Journal of Interprofessional Care18: 347-359.
25.
Malta M., Strathdee SA, Magnanini MF and Bastos FI ( 2008) Adherence to antiretroviral therapy for human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome among drug users: a systematic review . Addiction103: 1242-1257.
26.
Mellins CA, Havens JF, McDonnell C., Lichtenstein C., Uldall K., Chesney M., et al. (2009) Adherence to antiretroviral medications and medical care in HIV-infected adults diagnosed with mental and substance abuse disorders. AIDS Care21(2): 168-177.
27.
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicines ( 2010) What Is Complementary and Alternative Medicine? Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam
28.
Owen-Smith A., DiClemente R. and Wingood G. ( 2007) Complementary and alternative medicine use decreases adherence to HAART in HIV-positive women. AIDS Care19(5): 589-593.
29.
Paterson D., Swindells S., Mohr J., Brester M., Vergis R., et al. (2000) Adherence to protease inhibitor therapy and outcomes in patients with HIV infection. Annals of Internal Medicine133: 21-30.
30.
Pattillo-McCoy M. ( 1998) Black church as a community strategy of action. American Sociological Review63: 767-784.
31.
Racey CS, Zhang W., Brandson EK, Fernandes KA, Zzemis D., et al. (2010) HIV antiviral drug resistance: patient comprehension . AIDS Care22(7): 816-826.
32.
Reynolds NR, Sun J., Nagaraja HN, Gifford AL, Wu AW and Chesney MA ( 2007) Optimizing measurement of self-reported adherence with the ACTG adherence questionnaire: a cross-protocol analysis. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome47: 402-409.
33.
Schönnesson L., Ross M. and Williams M. ( 2004) The HIV medication self-reported nonadherence reasons (SNAR) index and its underlying psychological dimensions. AIDS and Behavior8(3): 293-301
34.
Standish LJ, Greene KB, Bain S., Reeves C., Sanders F., et al. (2001) Alternative medicine use in HIV-positive men and women: demographics, utilization patterns and health status. AIDS Care13(2): 197-208.
35.
Strawbridge WJ, Sherman SJ, Cohen RD and Kaplan GA ( 2001) Religious attendance increases survival by improving and maintaining good health and social relationships. Annals of Behavioral Medicine23: 68-74.
36.
Woods T., Antoni MH, Ironson G. and Kling D. ( 1999). Religiosity is associated with affective and immune status in symptomatic HIV-infected gay men. Journal of Psychosomatic Research46(2): 165-176.
