HIV Treatment-Readiness Measure (HTRM) Validation

HIV-infected, English speaking youth between 13 and 24 years of age who are enrolled in care at an AMTU or collaborating site, not currently on HAART but planning to initiate HAART within the next two months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• HIV-positive youth, 13 years 0 days to 24 years 364 days of age
• Either HAART naïve (defined as never having taken HAART) or HAART experienced (defined as having had at least one experience taking HAART and not having taken HAART for 30 days prior to study entry)
• Not currently on HAART, but planning to initiate HAART within the next 2 months based on provider recommendation
• Enrolled in care at an AMTU or a collaborating site
• Able to speak and understand English
• Willing to provide informed consent, or assent with parental permission (if required by the site IRB) for participation in this study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Evidence of cognitive impairment or other mental condition that limits his/her ability to complete the assessment (per PI or designee discretion)
• Determined by the PI (or designee) to be under the influence of psychoactive agents or intoxicated at the time of assessment to a degree that would interfere with successful completion of the questionnaire
• Visibly distraught or unstable
• Any clinical condition that would likely interfere with the participant's ability to complete the study

Participants who are unable to speak English will be excluded from the initial testing of the HTRM's reliability and validity in keeping with traditional tool development strategies. If the initial study indicates that the English version of the HTRM is reliable and valid, appropriate methods will be employed to translate the instrument into Spanish and the reliability and validity will be re-examined for the Spanish version.