Abstract
BackgroundMental health disorders such as high levels of anxiety, isolation, depression and suicide ideation reported among young people living with HIV (10–24 years;YPLHIV) contribute significantly to poor medication adherence and retention in care. While there is evidence supporting the role of psychosocial support interventions in promoting adherence and retention in antiretroviral treatment (ART) among adults living with HIV, there is little evidence on the role of psychosocial support on medication adherence among YPLHIV. This scoping review was designed to identify and classify the types and effects of psychosocial support interventions designed to improve adherence and retention in ART among YPLHIV globally.MethodWe searched six electronic databases (i.e., Scopus, Pubmed and EBSCOHost (Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, Psycarticles and Medline). Six relevant articles published between 2011 and 2019 met our inclusion criteria. We extracted information relevant to the nature and outcomes of the reported interventions using thematic content analysis informed by the Population, Intervention, comparison, outcome, and time (PICOT) framework.ResultsFour distinctive treatment modalities that focused on improving ART adherence and retention in care were identified: individual counselling, support groups, family-centered services, and treatment supporters.ConclusionThere is a dearth of psychosocial support interventions to improve adherence and retention in ART amongst adolescents and young adults living with HIV. Future research and programming should seek to address psychosocial support interventions or approaches specifically designed to address the needs of YPLHIV.Trial registrationPROSPERO: Registration CRD42018105057.
Highlights
Mental health disorders such as high levels of anxiety, isolation, depression and suicide ideation reported among young people living with Human Immunodeficiency-Virus (HIV) (10–24 years;young people living with HIV (YPLHIV)) contribute significantly to poor medication adherence and retention in care
There is a dearth of psychosocial support interventions to improve adherence and retention in antiretroviral treatment (ART) amongst adolescents and young adults living with HIV
Future research and programming should seek to address psychosocial support interventions or approaches designed to address the needs of YPLHIV
Summary
Mental health disorders such as high levels of anxiety, isolation, depression and suicide ideation reported among young people living with HIV (10–24 years;YPLHIV) contribute significantly to poor medication adherence and retention in care. While most of the individual, social and health systems barriers associated with ART adherence and retention in care affecting the general population apply to YPLWH, the latter face greater risks of mental and behavioural health problems, which constitute additional barriers [7, 11, 12]. Psychological risk factors such as anxiety and depressive disorders result from the chronicity of HIV infection, being orphaned, changes of guardianship, and the nature of parental and other adult support [11, 13, 14]
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