IMPLICATIONS OF HIV TREATMENT ADVANCES FOR BEHAVIORAL-RESEARCH ON AIDS - PROTEASE INHIBITORS AND NEW CHALLENGES IN HIV SECONDARY PREVENTION

Protease inhibitor combination therapies can reduce HN viral load, imp rove immune system functioning, and decrease mortality from AIDS. Thes e medical developments raise a host of critical new issues for behavio ral research on HIV/AIDS. This article reviews developments in HIV com bination therapy regimens and behavioral factors involved in these reg imens and focuses on four key behavioral research areas: (a) the devel opment of interventions to promote treatment adherence, (b) psychologi cal coping with HIV/AIDS in the context of new treatments for the dise ase, (c) the possible influence of treatment on continued risk behavio r, and (d) behavioral research in HIV prevention and care policy areas . Advances in HIV medical care have created important new opportunitie s for health psychologists to contribute to the well-being of persons with HIV/AIDS.