Promoting Medication Adherence Program among AIDS Patients: Applying I-Change Model

Adherence to the regular medication has an important role in controlling and treatment of AIDS. The aim of the present research was to develop, implement, and evaluation of an interventional program to promote medication adherence among AIDS patients referred to Behavioral Diseases Counseling Centers in Kermanshah by using the I-Change model.

The present research was a quasi-experimental interventional efficacy study among a total of 150 AIDS patients in Kermanshah, 2021 who were randomly selected and assigned to intervention and control (each, n = 75) groups. The intervention development was based on the I-Change model needs assessment and intervention mapping approach, the collected data was evaluated before and three months after the implementation intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS-16.

The mean age of patients was 39.11 [SD: 6.07], ranging from 22 -51 years. After implementing the intervention in the intervention group, the mean score of regular medication adherence behaviors (P <0.001, d= 0.48) and knowledge (P = 0.028, d= 0.31) was significantly higher and the perceived barrier (P = 0.020, d= 0.35) was lower than in the control group.

I-Change model can be used as a basis for the development of interventional programs to improve medication adherence among AIDS patients.