Pillbox Organizers Are Associated with Improved Adherence to HIV Antiretroviral Therapy and Viral Suppression: A Marginal Structural Model Analysis
Maya Petersen, Yue Wang, Mark van der Laan, David Guzman, Elise Riley, and David Bangsberg. Clinical Infectious Diseases (2007).
The Study
In this study, 245 HIV patients were observed from 1996 through 2000 with adherence, measured using unannounced monthly pill counts, as the primary outcome measurement. Pillbox organizer use was estimated to improve adherence by 4.1% to 4.5% and was associated with a decrease in viral load at statistically significant levels.
Commentary
Pillbox organizers seem a logical means to enhance compliance and anecdotal reports of their effectiveness abound. Evidence derived from controlled scientific studies, however, is remarkably rare. This study, while not conclusive, does support the use of these tools.