RISK AND TREATMENT BEHAVIORS OF OLDER HIV+ PATIENTS

1.艾滋病毒/艾滋病和老龄化。新的研究人员这项研究的广泛的长期目标是为老年艾滋病毒感染者开发新的以理论为基础的干预措施，并修改现有的战略，以加强对抗逆转录病毒药物的坚持，并减少导致艾滋病毒传播或再感染的高危行为。以健康信念模型(HBM)为概念框架，具体目标是：1)检验HBM感知变量，包括HIV疾病的严重程度、对艾滋病早期进展的感知易感性、使用抗逆转录病毒药物和替代疗法的益处和障碍；2)识别易使老年HIV感染者传播HIV疾病的危险行为；3)评估对抗逆转录病毒药物的坚持和替代疗法的使用；4)评估HBM感知变量在预测坚持使用抗逆转录病毒药物和使用替代疗法方面的有效性；5)评估家庭健康管理认知变量的有效性；6)评估易使老年HIV感染者传播HIV疾病的危险行为；6)确定选定的修正因素(例如，人口统计学、临床状况)对HBM认知变量的影响；以及7)产生研究问题和假设，以便在老年HIV感染者中进行更大规模的研究。共有100名50岁或以上的艾滋病毒感染者将被选为研究样本。这项探索性研究将采用横断面研究设计，将结构化的患者访谈和病历回顾作为数据收集的主要模式。患者访谈将被用来收集关于HBM认知变量、危险行为、抗逆转录病毒药物和替代疗法的使用以及人口统计学调整因素的数据。将审查病历以获得临床状态数据(例如，CD4计数、病毒载量)和抗逆转录病毒使用的验证。数据将通过使用均值、标准差和频率的方法进行描述性分析。Cronbach系数α将被用来估计使用多个条目的所有量表的可靠性。采用分层多元回归方法检验HBM在预测老年HIV感染者HI传播危险行为和治疗行为方面的有效性。流行病学的转变和艾滋病毒感染者预期寿命的延长导致了新出现的老年艾滋病毒感染者。在老年艾滋病毒感染者中进行拟议研究的必要性越来越大，因为医学和技术的进步提高了在较早年龄转换血清的人存活到中年和晚年的可能性。

1. HIV/AIDS and aging. New investigator The broad long term objectives of this study are to develop new theory- based interventions for older HIV-infected persons and to modify existing strategies to enhance adherence to anti-retrovirals and to reduce high risk behaviors that lead to HIV transmission or reinfection. Using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as the conceptual framework, the specific aims are: 1) to examine the HBM perception variables of perceived severity of HIV disease, the perceived susceptibility to early progression to AIDS, and the perceived benefits of and barriers to using anti-retrovirals and alternative therapies; 2) to identify risk behaviors the predispose older HIV-infected patients to transmitting HIV disease; 3) to assess adherence to anti-retrovirals and use of alternative therapies; 4) to evaluate the validity of HBM perception variables in predicting adherence to anti-retrovirals and use of alternative therapies; 5) to evaluate the validity of HBM perception variables risk behaviors that predispose older HIV-infected patients to transmitting HIV disease; 6) to determine the influence of selected modifying factors (e.g., demographics, clinical status) on HBM perception variables; and 7) to generate research questions and hypotheses for larger scale studies among older HIV-infected persons. A total of 100 who are HIV-infected and who are 50 years or older will sere as the study's sample. This exploratory study will employ a cross sectional research design with structured patient interviews and medical chart reviews as the primary modes of data collection. Patient interviews will be used to collect data on HBM perception variables, risk behaviors, use of anti-retrovirals and alternative therapies, and demographic modifying factors. Medical charts will be reviewed for clinical status data (e.g., CD4 count, viral load) and the verification of anti-retroviral use. Data will be analyzed descriptively using means using means, standard deviations and frequencies. Cronbach's coefficient alpha will be used to estimate the reliabilities of all scales employing multiple items. Hierarchical multiple regression will be employed to test the sufficiency of the HBM in predicting HI transmission risk behaviors and treatment behaviors of older HIV-infected patients. Shifts in the epidemiology and increasing life expectancy of HIV- infected persons have resulted in a emerging population of older HIV- infected persons. The need for the proposed research among older HIV- infected persons is becoming greater as advances in medicine and technology have raised the possibility that persons who seroconvert at earlier ages will survived into middle and later years.