Cognitive Therapy in Patients Failing ART

The primary efficacy measure is the improvement in adherence to antiretroviral therapy, measured by self-registration of adherence follow-up questionnaire (QOL 702) ACTG (the Clinical Trials Group). This questionnaire assesses the percentage of self-reported adherence in the last 4 days and the reasons for not taking medicines. Individuals who take 95% or more of the prescribed doses are considered adherent. The analyses will be carried out comparing baseline measures with those observed as at seven, ten and thirteen months after the baseline measures in each group; also, comparisons between the intervention group and the control group will be carried out.

Change in the number of copies in the HIV-1 Viral Load laboratory test result to <50 copies. The analyses will be carried out comparing the results in the baseline times, the results evaluated as at seven, ten and thirteen months after the baseline measures in each group and the comparison between the intervention group and the control group.

Change in depression levels measured by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), which ranks in four levels according to the following scores: minimum (0-13), moderate (14-19), mild (20-28) and severe (29-63).The analyses will be carried out comparing baseline measures with those observed as at seven, ten and thirteen months after the baseline measures in each group and the comparison between the intervention group and the control group.

Change in anxiety levels measured by the Beck Inventory for Anxiety (BAI), which ranks in four levels according to scores: minimum (0-7), moderate (8-15), mild (16-25), and severe (26-63).The analyses will be carried out comparing baseline measures with those observed as at seven, ten and thirteen months after the baseline measures in each group and the comparison between the intervention group and the control group.

The instrument comprises eight multi-item scales: physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, bodily pain, general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems and mental health. The eight multi-item scales are aggregated into a physical component (PCS) and a mental component summary (MCS) score.

Physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, and bodily pain contribute more significantly to the PCS.

Social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems, and mental health contribute more significantly to MCS.

The normalized scoring of the eight scales using the original 0 to 100 algorithms (raw scores) and the two summary components is performed by OPTUM PRO CoRETM Scoring Software based on norms with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. Normalized scores allow comparison of the eight domains and quantification of the SF-36 domains that are most affected by specific risk factors.

The instrument has 31 items with some specific items related to HIV/AIDS. Individual items are rated on a 5 point Likert scale where 1 indicates low, negative perceptions and 5 indicates high, positive perceptions. The instrument is scored in six domains: physical health; psychological health; level of independence; social relationship; environmental health and spirituality.

Domain and facet scores are scaled in a positive direction where higher scores denote higher quality of life. Some facets (Pain and Discomfort, Negative Feelings, Dependence on Medication, Death and Dying) are not scaled in a positive direction, meaning that for these facets higher scores do not denote higher quality of life. These need to be recoded so that high scores reflect better QoL.

Items are organised by response scale (capacity, frequency, intensity or satisfaction). Instructions for calculation of scores,using the original 0 to 100 algorithms, was obtained from the WHOQOL HIV Coordinator.