Received social support, self-efficacy, and finding benefits in disease as predictors of physical functioning and adherence to antiretroviral therapy.

OBJECTIVE

The study investigated whether received social support, self-efficacy, and finding benefits in disease are related to physical functioning and adherence to antiretroviral medication among men and women infected with HIV.

METHODS

Data were collected among 104 patients of three HIV clinics in India. The measures included general self-efficacy scale, Berlin social support scales, questionnaire on taking antiretroviral medication, and SF-20 (physical functioning).

RESULTS

The results of path analysis and mediation analysis revealed that finding benefits and self-efficacy were directly related to both adherence and physical functioning. Additionally, finding benefits mediated the relation between patients' self-efficacy and adherence as well as physical functioning. Although received support was unrelated to adherence directly, effects of received support on adherence were mediated by self-efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Besides personal and social resources, benefit finding was related to better adherence to antiretroviral medication.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Identifying patients receiving low social support, with weak general self-efficacy and finding no benefits in being diagnosed with HIV may help to elicit those people who are at risk for poorer adherence and physical functioning.