Medicine burden experiences of people living with HIV and association with stigma

The medicine burden of people living with HIV (PLWH) is unknown. Between 2018 and 2020,participants completed a survey comprising outcome measures for medicine burden (LMQ-3)and stigma experiences (SSCI-8). Participants were HIV+ adults (≥18 years), using antiretrovirals(ARV) with or without non-ARV medicines, recruited via two outpatient clinics in southeastEngland and online via HIV charities across the UK. Spearman’s correlations between medicineburden levels and stigma scores were calculated. Participants were mostly males (72%, 101/141)of mean (SD) age 48.6 (±12.31) years. Total number of medicines ranged from 1-20. Highmedicine burden was self-reported by 21.3% (30) and was associated with polypharmacy (≥5medicines) (101.52 Vs 85.08,p= 0.006); multiple doses versus once daily regimes (109.31 Vs85.65,p= 0.001); unemployment (98.23 Vs 84.46,p= 0.004); and ethnicity (97 Vs 86.85,p= 0.041for non-White versus White participants). A correlation between medicine burden and stigmawas observed (r = 0.576,p< 0.001). The LMQ-3 demonstrated adequate construct validity andreliability (domain loadings ranging 0.617-0.933 and Cronbach’sαof 0.714-0.932). Assessmentof medicine burden and psychosocial stigma in PLWH could enable identification of thoseneeding additional support in future research and practice.