Using Virtual Reality to Improve Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence in the Treatment of HIV: Open-Label Repeated Measure Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Nonadherence to HIV medications is a serious unsolved problem and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the HIV-positive population. Although treatment efficacy is high if compliance is greater than 90%, about 40% of people with HIV do not meet this threshold.

Objective

This study aimed to test a novel approach to improve medication adherence by using a low-cost virtual reality (VR) experience to educate people with HIV about their illness. We hypothesized that people with HIV would be more likely to be compliant with the treatment following the 7-minute experience and, therefore, should have decreasing viral load (VL), increasing cluster of differentiation 4⁺ (CD4⁺) cell counts, and improved self-reported adherence.

Methods

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SUBMITTER: Liran O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6610452 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature