Public Education Can Be Used to Increase Support for Equity in Cannabis Policy.

Objectives: States that are legalizing cannabis for adult use are increasingly focused on equity, with the goal of repairing some of the harm caused by the War on Drugs. This study explains and describes the emphasis states are placing on equity and assesses whether public education can be used to increase public support for equity-focused cannabis policies. Methods: We conducted an online survey of 893 New Jersey adults in August and September of 2021, just as state's Cannabis Regulatory Commission was publishing the first set of regulations for the legal sale and use of cannabis for adults age 21 and older. The study included an experimental design, in which half of respondents viewed an educational message about equity-focused cannabis policies before answering survey questions, and the other half did not. Results: Few participants (24.9%) were familiar with the concept of equity in cannabis policy, and a substantial proportion-from about 20% to 35%-provided a "neutral" or "don't know" response when asked about support for specific policies. Exposure to an educational message was associated with greater perceived importance of equity in cannabis policy (p < 0.05) and greater support for equity-focused policies. Specifically, participants who saw an educational message had greater agreement that New Jersey should provide priority licensing (p < 0.01) and grants (p < 0.001) to people who have been arrested for cannabis, and who now want to participate in the legal cannabis industry. Conclusions: Cannabis regulators, public health professionals, and people working to advance racial justice may be able to advance state equity goals and remedy some of the harm from the War on Drugs by expanding public education campaigns to include equity messages.

A qualitative analysis of family support for adolescent HIV care in South Africa.

Compared to other age groups, South African adolescents living with HIV (ALWH) have the lowest rates of retention in HIV care and medication adherence. While previous research suggests that familial social support may improve treatment retention and adherence within this population, we know little about the influence of differential types of social support on HIV-related outcomes. Thus, the purpose of this study is to qualitatively characterize the influence of type of familial social support on treatment retention and adherence among ALWH. We interviewed adolescents living with perinatally-acquired HIV (n = 20), their caregivers (n = 19), and community stakeholders (n = 20) in Cape Town, South Africa. Data were coded using deductive and inductive approaches to content analysis. We identified four types of familial social support: instrumental, appraisal, emotional, and informational support. Families provided instrumental support through logistical assistance, including transportation to appointments and pill reminders. Families also provided both emotional support and appraisal support, encouraging ALWH to adhere to their medication regimens by reflecting upon its importance to their futures. For informational support, families often educated ALWH about their HIV status and strategies for disease self-management. In characterizing familial social support, our findings highlight potential targets of future interventions to improve HIV-related outcomes among ALWH.

Does Type of Social Support Influence Medication Adherence Among South African Adolescents Living With HIV? A Quantitative Analysis of Pilot Data.

ABSTRACT: Adolescents living with HIV often experience worse medication adherence than older and younger individuals living with HIV. One factor that may mitigate poor adherence is social support. However, few studies have examined the influence of specific social support constructs on HIV outcomes like medication adherence. In response to this gap, we performed bivariate analyses using data from 104 adolescents living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa to understand the relationship between three types of social support (emotional, informational, and instrumental support) and four HIV-related outcomes: adherence self-efficacy, last recorded CD4+ count, last recorded viral load, and adherence to clinic appointments in the past year. We found small positive associations between two social support types (emotional and informational support) and adherence self-efficacy, with no other statistically significant associations. In light of our small sample size, future studies should seek to understand the differential effects of specific types of social support on HIV-related outcomes to better inform interventions for adolescents living with HIV.