Received social support, self-efficacy, and finding benefits in disease as predictors of physical functioning and adherence to antiretroviral therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The study investigated whether received social support, self-efficacy, and finding benefits in disease are related to physical functioning and adherence to antiretroviral medication among men and women infected with HIV.

METHODS: Data were collected among 104 patients of three HIV clinics in India. The measures included general self-efficacy scale, Berlin social support scales, questionnaire on taking antiretroviral medication, and SF-20 (physical functioning).

RESULTS: The results of path analysis and mediation analysis revealed that finding benefits and self-efficacy were directly related to both adherence and physical functioning. Additionally, finding benefits mediated the relation between patients' self-efficacy and adherence as well as physical functioning. Although received support was unrelated to adherence directly, effects of received support on adherence were mediated by self-efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS: Besides personal and social resources, benefit finding was related to better adherence to antiretroviral medication.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Identifying patients receiving low social support, with weak general self-efficacy and finding no benefits in being diagnosed with HIV may help to elicit those people who are at risk for poorer adherence and physical functioning.