Increased Income Inequality Linked to Lower Antiretroviral Adherence

Using dried blood spot tenofovir levels as a marker for adherence, increasing income disparity was significantly linked to lower ART adherence in a study of 430 patients.

Improvements in simplicity, tolerability, and efficacy of antiretroviral therapy regimens have resulted in marked improvements in suppression rates for persons living with HIV. Yet many studies and experiences have shown that achieving 100% suppression rates remains elusive. Social determinants of health (i.e., income, education, discrimination, living conditions, and access to healthcare) often are identified as being key to optimal health outcomes. For this study, investigators used dried blood spot tenofovir diphosphate levels (DBS-TDF) as a marker for cumulative antiretroviral (ART) adherence. The researchers extracted demographic data from the AIDSVu website and determined the “Gini coefficient” for each participant's zip code, calcula…

Reviewing Author

Keith Henry, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardViiV Advisory Board

Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

Keith Henry, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardViiV Advisory Board

Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

Increased Income Inequality Linked to Lower Antiretroviral Adherence

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Reviewing Author