Randomized Community Trial Comparing Telephone versus Clinic-Based Behavioral Health Counseling for People Living with HIV in a Rural Setting.

Purpose: To test the efficacy of a theory-based behavioral intervention delivered via telephone versus clinic-based counseling to improve HIV outcomes and reduce alcohol consumption for people at-risk for treatment failure in a rural setting.

Methods: Patients receiving HIV care (N = 240) were randomized using a computer-generated scheme to one of three conditions: (a) telephone behavioral health counseling, (b) clinic-based behavioral health counseling, or (c) attention control nutrition education. Behavioral counseling was delivered by either a community nurse or a paraprofessional patient navigator, with differences examined.

Perceived sensitivity to medicines and the experience of side-effects: understanding intentional medication nonadherence among people living with HIV.

Patient initiated decisions to forgo taking medications (i.e. intentional nonadherence) pose significant challenges to managing chronic health conditions.

Multicentre study to develop a medication safety package for decreasing inpatient harm from omission of time-critical medications.

Quality Issue: Omitting time-critical medications leads to delays in treatment and may result in patient harm.

Initial Assessment: Published studies show that omission of prescribed medication doses is common. Although most are inconsequential, up to 86% of omitted medications place patients at some risk of harm.