Singapore, July 22, 2010: Results from the landmark AIDS Treatment for Life International Survey (ATLIS 2010), a multi-country survey of more than 2,000 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), revealed a significant gap in patient-physician dialogue about critical health-related conditions that may negatively impact patients' overall long-term health, quality of life, and treatment outcomes.

The data suggested that while patients believe they are engaging in meaningful conversations with their healthcare providers (HCPs), these discussions often do not focus on individual patient needs, including chronic illnesses, treatment side effects, or co-morbid conditions, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the leading cause of death worldwide. These and other ATLIS 2010 findings were presented by the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC) at the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010) in Vienna, Austria.

While the ATLIS 2010 findings showed a high degree of patient satisfaction with HCPs globally (97 percent), and the majority of patients believe they are being treated according to their individual needs (84 percent), some respondents claim to have never engaged in important discussions related to their long-term wellness, such as health history, present medical conditions, treatment side effects, new treatment options, or how all of these factors may impact their overall health and treatment outcomes. Findings further indicate the need for more in-depth discussions to reinforce the importance of adherence to HIV medicines and avoidance of HIV drug resistance.

According to ATLIS 2010, the majority of respondents (87 percent) claimed to have quality HCP discussions about the importance of adhering to their medications, yet nearly half (43 percent) admitted to missing at least one dose in the past month, suggesting that they may not fully understand the impact on their health. Levels of adherence varied across countries, with the highest levels reported in Brazil (89 percent) and South Africa (83 percent) and lowest in France (34 percent).