Medications: Getting organized is the first step towards making sure you’re adherent to your treatment regimen. It’s important to know about what meds you’re on, how to get them, and how to take them.

Staying On Track: It’s important to stay on track once you’re on a treatment regimen. Communicating with your treatment team and learning how to manage side effects from meds can help you stick with it.

How to Deal: Being able to deal with your feelings makes a big difference when it comes to sticking with your treatment regimen. It’s important to take steps to make sure that your mood doesn’t get in the way of taking your meds.

Social Life: Dealing with friendships and social situations is hard as a teen/young adult, especially when you’re trying to adhere to a treatment regimen.

Disclosure: Disclosing (telling people about) your HIV status is a personal choice. There may be advantages and disadvantages to disclosing your status, and it’s important to think about them.

Adapted from:

Thurston, I. B., Bogart, L.M., Wachman, M., Closson, E. F., Skeer, M. R., & Mimiaga, M. J. Adaptation and Pilot Trial of an HIV Medication Adherence Intervention for Adolescents and Young Adults. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, Special Issue.

Mimiaga, M.J., Bogart, L.M., Thurston, I.B., Skeer, M.R., Wachman, M., Closson, E.F., & Safren, S.A. (2012). Positive Strategies to Enhance Problem-Solving Skills: Positive STEPS. Therapist & Participant Manuals.

Finocchario-Kessler, S., Catley, D., Thomson, D., Bradley-Ewing, A., Berkley-Patton, J., & Goggin, K. (2012). Patient communication tools to enhance ART adherence counseling in low and high resource settings. Patient Education and Counseling, 89(1), 163-170. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2012.03.020