Couple-focused support to improve HIV medication adherence: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of a couple-based intervention to improve medication-taking behavior in a clinic population with demonstrated adherence problems.

Design: A randomized controlled trial (SMART Couples Study) conducted between August 2000 and January 2004.

Setting: Two HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in New York City.

Participants: Heterosexual and homosexual HIV-serodiscordant couples (n = 215) in which the HIV-seropositive partner had < 80% adherence at baseline. The sample was predominantly lower-income racial/ethnic minorities.

Intervention: Participants were randomly assigned to a four-session couple-focused adherence intervention or usual care. The intervention consisted of education about treatment and adherence, identifying adherence barriers, developing communication and problem-solving strategies, optimizing partner support, and building confidence for optimal adherence.

Outcome measures: Medication adherence at week 8 (2 weeks after the intervention) compared with baseline, assessed with a Medication Event Monitoring System cap.

Results: Intervention participants showed higher mean medication adherence at post-intervention when compared with controls whether adherence was defined as proportion of prescribed doses taken (76% versus 60%) or doses taken within specified time parameters (58% versus 35%). Also, participants in the intervention arm were significantly more likely to achieve high levels of adherence(> 80%, > 90%, or > 95%) when compared with controls. However, in most cases, effects diminished with time, as seen at follow-up at 3 and 6 months.

Conclusion: The SMART Couples program significantly improved medication adherence over usual care, although the level of improved adherence, for many participants, was still suboptimal and the effect was attenuated over time.