Ensuring drug compliance in HIV+ female offenders in a correctional facility.

摘要

This research project examines and review various methods to ensure patient adherence to therapy as well as identifying the determinants of compliance as it relates to Human Immune-deficiency Virus (HIV) prison population. A retrospective case study is undertaken to examine key determinants in an anti-retroviral drugs compliance program for HIV-infected female offenders at a correctional facility in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). This project reviewed and searched for strategies to enhance patient's adherence to medical therapy. All available drug compliance data on the anti-retroviral therapy in this institutionalized population was reviewed and analyzed. This data was collected for the interval of six months. This process included medical record review as well as retracting pharmacy administration data. The goals of this study were several: (1) to review the literature for interventions that have been useful for improving adherence to medical therapy; (2) to survey the correctional unit for programs in place to facilitate and enhance compliance to treatment protocol; (3) to examine for potential factors that may contribute to adherence; (4) to increase the awareness of the significance of maintaining high compliance level; (5) to propose future study for improving compliance research.