OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the association between body image dissatisfaction and adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Methods Eighty individuals with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome participated in the study. A self-report inventory on adherence to therapy and figure rating scales were used to assess body image dissatisfaction. Statistical treatment included descriptive statistics, Student's t-test, chi-square test and estimation of odds ratio. RESULTS: The results showed that body image dissatisfaction was high in men and women (75.0%). Body image dissatisfaction was more likely to be present in overweight individuals (40.0% vs 15.0%; p=0.041) and individuals with symptoms of depression, but these differences were not significant (28.3% vs 15.0%; p=0.233). Sixty-two percent of the women with body image dissatisfaction were overweight and 58.0% of the men were normal weight. Men were more likely to adhere to treatment than women (52.3% vs 22.2%; p=0.006). There was a positive and significant association between body image dissatisfaction and low adherence to antiretroviral therapy (OR=4.69 CI: 1.491-17.792; p=0.003). CONCLUSION: This study found that body image dissatisfaction is associated with excess weight and low adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Thus, interventions to reduce body image dissatisfaction in people undergoing antiretroviral therapy for Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome are recommended.
Nutritional status; HIV; Body image; Overweight; Antiretroviral therapy
