Patient education is an important tool for improving adherence. They should know how food affects the ability of the drug to work properly and why precise timing is important. It may be helpful to write down important treatment information, since people often forget what they hear during a medical visit. A drug regimen that requires changes in a person's daily routines and lifestyle is harder to stick to. Pill boxes, alarms and charts can help remind people to take their pills on schedule.
Positive feedback helps encourage continued adherence.
Knowing that their viral load is falling and their CD4 T-cell count is rising may help people tolerate side effects and complex regimens. Doctors should tell patients about the likelihood of side effects, so they are not caught unaware. When adverse side effects are expected, people are more likely to continue taking their medications than when side effects come as a surprise. It is very important to manage adverse side effects. Social support is very helpful in encouraging adherence, and may involve partners or spouses, peer support groups and community-based AIDS organizations.