The influence of depressive symptoms and substance use on adherence to antiretroviral therapy. A cross-sectional prevalence study.

Context And Objective: Adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) is not a stable condition, but is dynamic, like mental conditions. The aim of this study was to examine whether non-adherence to ART is related to demographic and immunological variables, substance use and presence of depressive symptoms.

Design And Setting: This was a cross-sectional prevalence study carried out at a public AIDS treatment center in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, between July 2006 and January 2007.