Date of Graduation
Summer 8-16-2022
Document Access
Project/Capstone - Global access
Degree Name
Master of Public Health (MPH)
College/School
School of Nursing and Health Professions
First Advisor
Dr. Marissa Kraynak
Abstract
Currently, there is still no cure available for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). There are approximately 1.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS, and nearly 36,000 new HIV infections per year in the U.S alone (HIV.gov, 2021). Despite the development of highly effective medications presently used to treat HIV, rates of medication adherence are still low. This paper explores the interventions that improve medication adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Sacramento County.
There were approximately 4,403 people living with HIV/AIDS in Sacramento County in 2019, with 158 newly diagnosed in the same year. This high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Sacramento County makes the county one of the 48 hotspot counties for HIV/AIDS in the U.S. (CDPH HIV/AIDS, 2021). In Sacramento County, the highest burden of HIV/AIDS is among people of color, men who have sex with men, and among the youth (CDPH HIV/AIDS, 2021). There was a decrease in the rate of viral suppression from 86.76% in 2020 to 85.96% in 2021 in Sacramento County, a setback in the efforts to reduce the transmission of HIV/AIDS in Sacramento County.
Based on surveyed literature on medication adherence, this paper recommends the adoption of multidisciplinary care teams to supplement patient-doctor interactions for individual people living with HIV/AIDS as a strategy to improve medication adherence and increase rates of viral suppression in Sacramento County. This paper also recommends addressing specific social determinants of health such as housing, food, and medication transportation assistance for PLWHA. Addressing the social determinants of health will incentivize STI testing, increase retention in care for PLWHA, and help patients achieve viral suppression. Ultimately, this approach will most especially improve medication adherence among the economically and racially marginalized groups.
Recommended Citation
Muzungu, Jehoshaphat, "Social Determinants of Health: Interventions that Improve Medication Adherence Among People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Sacramento County" (2022). Master's Projects and Capstones. 1430.
https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/1430
