The Influence of Neurocognitive Impairment on Treatment Outcomes among Drug-involved People Living with HIV/AIDS

Drug- and sex-related HIV risk behaviors and sub-optimal adherence to HIV medication regimens can jeopardize the health of HIV–infected injection drug users (IDUs) and threaten community health. Findings to date indicate that it is feasible to deliver a brief behavioral risk reduction/medication adherence group intervention to HIV-infected IDUs in a community-based setting. Being adherent to HAART or being able to successfully participate in behavioral interventions targeting adherence and harm reduction often requires a relatively high level of cognitive abilities. HIV infection and substance abuse are known to independently affect the central nervous system and this can result in neuro-cognitive impairment. In combination, their effects can be even more profound and this is directly relevant to intervention development because a significant number of people living with HIV/AIDS have a positive history of substance abuse. AIM: To evaluate if changes in information, motivation and behavior skills (IMB) with respect to medication adherence, sex- and drug-risk behavior outcomes is predicted by cognitive impairment following the brief 4-session Community-Friendly Health Recovery Program for HIV-infected Drug Users (CHRP+). Findings suggest that it may be helpful to specifically tailor such behavioral interventions to accommodate cognitive impairment