Targeting PM to Improve HIV Adherence in Adolescents at Risk for Substance Abuse

Medication adherence rates among youth living with HIV are inadequate to effectively manage the disease, and novel interventions grounded in basic behavioral sciences are needed. Emerging evidence suggests that prospective memory (PM) could represent an important piece of the puzzle. PM is defined as the neurocognitive capacity to successfully form, maintain, and execute an intention at a particular point in the future in response to a specific cue. This study plans to translate basic cognitive neuroscience regarding PM into a more potent adherence intervention for YLH, a population at high risk for poor cognitive function, substance abuse, and poor adherence. While text message reminders are an increasingly popular adherence support, evidence of efficacy is equivocal particularly for the maintenance of adherence after reminders end. By using basic cognitive neuroscience to enhance the potency of technology-based interventions to improve PM for adherence tasks, we hope to achieve both greater initial gains as well as sustained improvements in adherence for youth with and without substance abuse.

This multi-site phased study plans to translate basic cognitive neuroscience regarding PM into a more potent adherence intervention for youth living with HIV (YLH).

• In Phase 1, we conducted theory-driven laboratory studies to improve three components of PM using a within-subjects design and traditional cognitive neuroscience tasks (strategic encoding, monitoring, and cue salience) in 60 youth from clinics where the principal investigators (PIs) are located (Detroit and San Diego).
• In Phase 2, we translated promising Phase 1 PM interventions to the youth's natural context, targeting adherence in combination with text messaging, and test for signals of efficacy using a multiple baseline design for YLH with suboptimal adherence (N=24; 12 with substance abuse and 12 without from Detroit).
• In Phase 3, we repeated the Phase 2 study (targeted adherence in combination with text message reminders and two-way assessment text messages, and tested for signals of efficacy using a multiple baseline design for YLH with suboptimal adherence; N=20; Detroit and national online recruitment).

Inclusion criteria

• HIV-infected
• Ability to speak and understand English
• Prescribed antiretroviral therapy for at least 24 weeks
• Detectable viral load in the last month
• Second detectable viral load in the previous 6 months
• Prescribed a regimen with at least two active drugs at study entry
• Regular access to a cell phone with text messaging.

Exclusion criteria

• Not fluent in English
• History of severe learning disability, mental retardation, major psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression with psychotic features, etc.).
• History of a neurological conditions that might influence cognitive functioning (e.g., traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness > 30 min, central nervous system neoplasms, stroke, seizure disorders, etc.).
• Participation in another adherence intervention trial
• On ART due to pregnancy.