[Psychosocial correlates of the adherence to antirretroviral treatment of men in Penitentiary Center of Barcelona].

OBJECTIVE to assess therapeutic adherence to HAART amongst HIV positive inmates and its likely relationship with sets of different variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS longitudinal study carried out at the Men's Prison of Barcelona (Centro Penitenciario de Hombres de Barcelona). The prison data base, a semi-structured interview assessing socio-penal, demographic and clinical variables as well as treatment characteristics, and questionnaires on beliefs and emotional states were used. Adherence at the beginning of the study, and then after three and six months was also assessed. RESULTS inmates presented with low levels of social support, and showed moderate agreement regarding care received from medical and health personnel. They considered the level of treatment complexity to be high and gave moderate relevance to treatment side effects. They presented high agreement with the potential benefits of continuing with the treatment and showed moderate perception of the severity of the illness. They also showed high levels of self efficacy where treatment monitoring was concerned. The emotional variables showed low blood pressure, depression, anger and fatigue. Adherence to antiretroviral treatment did not vary throughout the study period. Socio-cognitive variables that correlated with adherence at different times of the study were self efficacy, perceived benefits, treatment complexity and side effects. Emotional states that correlated with adherence were depression and fatigue. DISCUSSION the relationship between self efficacy and adherence is frequently mentioned in studies on the prediction of HAART adherence. The relationship between the two factors of fatigue and sadness/depression and adherence was expected.