Seth C. Kalichman|Jennifer Pellowski|Yiyun Chen
Requesting Help to Understand Medical Information Among People Living with HIV and Poor Health Literacy
University of Connecticut|University of Connecticut|University of Connecticut
health literacy known influence medication adherence among people living hivaidspeople experience difficulty reading health information may benefit asking others assist reading interpreting understanding medical informationwe examined medical chartabstracted hiv viral load medication adherence assessed unannounced pill counts adherence improvement strategies among 245 individuals lowerhealth literacy request assistance 229 request assistance reading understanding health informationparticipants people living hiv taking antiretroviral therapy scored 90 correct standardized test functional health literacyafter controlling health literacy scores requesting informational assistance associated strategies used improve adherence individuals asked assistance significantly likely use multiple adherence strategieshowever despite requesting informational assistance using adherence strategies participants requested informational assistance evidenced poorer treatment adherence poorer suppression hiv replicationrequesting assistance common among poorest health literacy therefore greatest challenges adherencepeople living hiv poor health literacy skills may benefit medication adherence programs requests assistance afford opportunities social interventions