Initial Open Trial of Brief Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression and Medication Adherence in HIV-Infected Patients

Summary: Advances in HIV treatment involving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), successful application of the same has led to a steady decline in HIV-related mortality rates. However, it should be mentioned that HAART requires adherence to strict and often complicated medication regimens. Non-adherence to the regime of HAART has shown evident and significant decrease in its effectiveness. Participants provided with proper interventions depicted significantly reduced anxiety symptom severity besides exhibiting avoidance of negative aversive states.

Source: Behavior Modification.

To raise the necessary awareness about the disease and the virus, December 1 has been designated as World AIDS Day. Advances in HIV treatment involving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), successful application of the same has led to a steady decline in HIV-related mortality rates. However, it should be mentioned that HAART requires adherence to strict and often complicated medication regimens. Non-adherence to the regime of HAART has shown evident and significant decrease in its effectiveness.

Depression has consistently depicted robust comorbidity with medication non-adherence. As a consequence, psychologists had to work tirelessly to develop numerous psychological interventions to target and treat depression and increase adherence to medical treatment among HIV-infected individuals. For some HIV-infected populations, especially those in rural areas, the length of these interventions may occasionally act as a deterrent.

Therefore, psychologists from South Dakota university conducted a study to provide an initial investigation of a one-session behavioral activation treatment for the symptoms of depression. This was designed typically for patients who were HIV-infected (BATD-HIV).

The study was conducted at a community infectious disease clinic that was serving a largely rural population. Depression, stress symptoms severity and anxiety; medication adherence; behavioral activation processes. CD4 T-cell count was measured pre- and 1 month post the above mentioned intervention. Participants showed less anxiety symptoms, avoided unpleasant aversive states, and engaged in rumination from before to one month after treatment.