Publication Abstract Display
Type: Poster
Title: Habitual prospective memory predicts electronically monitored antiretroviral non-adherence in HIV infection.
Authors: Woods SP, Doyle K, Weber E, Cameron MV, Cattie JE, Cushman C, Grant I, and the HNRP Group
Date: 11-08-2012
Abstract:Objective: HIV-associated deficits in prospective memory (PM) are known to increase risk of non-adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). The current study extends that literature by evaluating the construct of habitual PM, which is hypothesized to better reflect real-world situations in which an intention recurs at regular intervals (e.g., chronic medication taking behavior). Method: Participants included 98 HIV-infected persons prescribed cART who completed a comprehensive medical exam, psychiatric interviews, neurocognitive assessment, and a 30-day observation of adherence to a sentinel ART as measured by Medication Event Monitoring System caps. Non-adherence was operationalized as < 90% prescribed ART doses taken over the electronic monitoring period. The Adherent (n=43) and Non-Adherent participants (n=56) did not differ in demographics, premorbid verbal IQ, comorbid mood or substance use disorders, or general neurocognitive functioning (ps>.10). All subjects completed a habitual PM task in which they were instructed to press the space bar one time per one-minute trial of a computerized Stroop paradigm (but not within the first 10 seconds). Results: Results showed that cART Non-Adherent had significantly higher rates of omission errors on the habitual PM task than the Adherent group (p=.02, Hedges g=.43). The effect of habitual PM did not vary according to the ongoing strategic load of the Stroop paradigm and no between-group effects were observed for early responding or errors of commission (ps>.10). Conclusions: Findings indicate that impairment in the cognitive ability to execute a future intention at regular intervals (i.e., habitual PM) is associated with a moderate risk of non-adherence to ART in persons living with HIV infection.

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