Work

Developing a Health Education Checklist for Healthcare Professionals to Ensure Treatment Adherence of Newly Diagnosed Young People Living with HIV: A Delphi Study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Young people living with HIV (YLWH) are a key population in global HIV prevention and control. YLWH often shows poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), with poor medication adherence, delayed initiation and frequent treatment interruption. This study aimed to develop a theory-based health education checklist to support ART adherence among newly diagnosed YLWH. Methods: An initial pool of 41 items was generated through a literature review and the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) framework, covering ART knowledge, coping strategies, psychosocial support, and behavioral skills. A structured health education checklist was then designed and refined through expert panel discussions and the Delphi method. Between November 2024 and January 2025, 17 experts from seven provinces in China participated in a two-round Delphi consultation. Experts assessed and revised the scientific rigor, importance, and feasibility of the proposed checklist. The expert authority coefficient and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance were calculated to evaluate the consistency of expert opinions, leading to the development of a standardized checklist. Results: The final checklist comprises 5 primary indicators, 10 secondary indicators, and 32 tertiary indicators. The expert authority coefficients for the two Delphi rounds were 0.867 and 0.905, respectively, the Kendall’s coefficients of concordance were 0.621 and 0.716 ( P < 0.001). The expert participation rates were 100% in the first round and 94.12% in the second round. Conclusion: The health education checklist developed in this study demonstrates high scientific rigor and feasibility. It provides healthcare professionals with a structured tool to guide health education, which may support both short-term and long-term ART adherence among YLWH. Keywords: health education, newly diagnosed, young people with HIV, Delphi method

Source: Patient Preference and Adherence

DOI: 10.2147/ppa.s543312