Validation of a counseling guide for adherence to antiretroviral therapy using implementation science

Authors:

Flor Yesenia Musayón-Oblitas, Cesar Paul Cárcamo, Sarah Gimbel, Juan Ignacio Echevarria Zarate, and Ana Beatriz Graña Espinoza

^{University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.}

✪ Open Access

Published: February 2020

Read the full text in the open access journal Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem

Abstract:

Objective:

To determine the contents that must be included in the usual counseling to improve the adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) of HIV patients, according to their different levels of alcohol consumption, and to determine the validity of the Counseling Guide in improving the adherence to ART in patients who consume alcohol using Implementation Science.

Method:

This is an observational study with formative and validation phases. The formative phase defined the content, approach and structure of the counseling. Validation included focus groups with patients and nurses, trial process by an expert and a pilot test. The criteria evaluated based on Implementation Science were: intervention source, evidence strength and quality, relative advantage, and complexity. The following criteria were also evaluated: usefulness, practicality, acceptability, sustainability, effectiveness; content consistency and congruence; procedural compliance and difficulties, and time spent in counseling.

Results:

The strength of evidence of the counseling is High-IIA, with strong level of recommendation and presenting usefulness, practicality, acceptability, sustainability and effectiveness. Eight in 11 experts argued that the Guide is clear, consistent and congruent. Initial counseling takes around 24 minutes; and follow-up counseling, 21. The instruments of the Guide present reliability levels between good and high (0.65 ≥ alpha ≤ 0.92).

Conclusion:

The Counseling Guide is valid to improve the adherence to antiretroviral therapy in patients who consume alcohol.

^{**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**}