Bullying and art nonadherence among South African ALHIV: Effects, risks, and protective factors
Abstract
Identifying risk and protective factors for adolescent
antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence is a public health priority,
given high HIV-related mortality in this population. An area that
merits further investigation is the relationship between bullying
victimization, mental health problems, and ART nonadherence
among adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV). However, no known
studies assess effects of bullying on adolescent nonadherence or risk
and protective factors that could moderate this relationship.This study investigates (1) the direct longitudinal relationship between bullying exposure and ART nonadherence, and the
indirect relationship via psychological distress, and (2) potential risk
and modifiable protective factors moderating these pathways, among
vertically and horizontally infected ALHIV who initiated treatment
across 53 public health care facilities in a South African
health district.