Relationships between Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence with Personality Traits and Presence of Psychological Distress among Adults with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Northwest Peninsular Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Treatment adherence with antiretroviral therapy (ART) and its related factors have hitherto been the subject of clinical concern. However, research focusing on relationships between ART presence psychological distress selected personality traits yet to be concluded. Therefore, our study aimed remedy this. Methods: A multicentre hospital-based cross-sectional was conducted in northwest Peninsular Malaysia HIV outpatients given from July 1st, 2018, till April 31st, 2020. Participants were recruited via purposive sampling. Data collected through an interviewer-guided questionnaires: Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) Zuckerman-Kuhlman test (ZKPQ-M-40-CC), Timeline Follow-back (TLFB) for assessment ART. Results: total 229 patients completed study. Majority (n=220, 96.1%) considered adherent Among those who non-adherent, two (22.2%) had anxiety disorder five (55.6%) depressive disorder. There no significant association treatment nor depression. sociodemographic determined that age group (p=0.033) marital status (p=0.044) significantly associated adherence. Multivariate analysis ‘Active’ trait increases likelihood better by 1.14 times (95% CI: 1.02, 1.28, p=0.018). Conclusion: We did not find any or higher scores among adult