Verifying Quantitative Stigma and Medication Adherence Scales Using Qualitative Methods among Thai Youth Living with HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS-related stigma has been linked to poor adherence resulting in drug resistance and the failure to control HIV. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine stigma and its relationship to adherence in 30 HIV-infected Thai youth aged 14 to 21 years. Stigma was measured...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care 2014-01, Vol.13 (1), p.69-77
Main Authors: Fongkaew, Warunee, Viseskul, Nongkran, Suksatit, Benjamas, Settheekul, Saowaluck, Chontawan, Ratanawadee, Grimes, Richard M., Grimes, Deanna E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
Adolescent
AIDS
Drugs
Female
HIV
HIV Infections - drug therapy
HIV Infections - epidemiology
HIV Infections - psychology
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
Male
Medication Adherence - statistics & numerical data
Patient compliance
Qualitative research
Resistance
Social Stigma
Stigma
Stress, Psychological
Thailand - epidemiology
Young Adult
Youth
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Summary:HIV/AIDS-related stigma has been linked to poor adherence resulting in drug resistance and the failure to control HIV. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine stigma and its relationship to adherence in 30 HIV-infected Thai youth aged 14 to 21 years. Stigma was measured using the HIV stigma scale and its 4 subscales, and adherence was measured using a visual analog scale. Stigma and adherence were also examined by in-depth interviews. The interviews were to determine whether verbal responses would match the scale’s results. The mean score of stigma perception from the overall scale and its 4 subscales ranged from 2.14 to 2.45 on a scale of 1 to 4, indicating moderate levels of stigma. The mean adherence score was .74. The stigma scale and its subscales did not correlate with the adherence. Totally, 17 of the respondents were interviewed. Contrary to the quantitative results, the interviewees reported that the stigma led to poor adherence because the fear of disclosure often caused them to miss medication doses. The differences between the quantitative and the qualitative results highlight the importance of validating psychometric scales when they are translated and used in other cultures.
ISSN:2325-9574
2325-9582
2325-9582
DOI:10.1177/1545109712463734