Psychosocial interventions to improve HIV treatment adherence: A systematic review

Introduction: The problem of suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) can be overcome through multidisciplinary management that includes evidence-based psychosocial interventions. Existing reviews focus only on randomized controlled trials, overlooking valuable interventions whose evidence comes from different study designs. This review aimed to synthesize the current state of the art in psychological interventions for ART adherence, integrating studies with a variety of research designs. Methods: We conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines. We searched five databases for articles reporting a psychosocial intervention to improve treatment adherence for people living with HIV. The quality of each study was analyzed, and the data summarized using a narrative synthesis method.Results and discussion: Twenty-six articles were identified for inclusion. Individual counselling was the most common intervention, followed by peer-support based interventions delivered virtually or in person. Most interventions mixed different strategies, combining technology with individual counselling and peer support. It is important to note that the quality of evidence was not dependent on the study design. Conclusion: While the evidence requires further advancement, the review provides insight into which psychosocial interventions are helpful in improving ART treatment adherence.