Table 2.
Factors supporting with drug adherence and retention in care in patients with documented treatment interruption (in-depth interviews; n=26)
| Basic knowledge about HIV/AIDS and ART | Illustrative quotes |
|---|---|
| The patient was able to … | |
| … differentiate between HIV and AIDS | HIV is a virus that causes AIDS, while AIDS is the accumulation of different diseases caused when body immunity is low. (Female, 29 years, 37 months on ART) |
| … describe the effect of ARVs | It is a type of medication that boosts one's immune system and it is taken in every day of one's life, when one is HIV positive. Again ARVs help to prevent opportunistic infections. (Male, 33 years, 28 months on ART) |
| … understand that ART is a lifelong therapy | Because the virus will not be healed but will remain in the body the rest of life. It does not mean that when we take the drugs, the HIV/AIDS will go, no. They are not like cough treatment where we get healed, so we need to take them the rest of our life. (Female, 17 years, on starter pack) |
| … describe the possible consequences of an interruption of ART | The importance is that when you adhere to treatment the virus cannot resist drugs and that we will have healthy life. (Female, 28 years, 22 months on ART) |
| Social support systems | Illustrative quotes |
| Disclosure to … | |
| … relatives. | Disclosure to relatives: I told them to know so that I may get proper care and help when I am sick, and also to know where to seek care, better a government facility than a private clinic. (Female, 26 year) |
| … close friends. | Disclosure to spouse: So that he may as well go for HTC [HIV testing and counselling]. (Female, 33 years) |
| … employer, church leader and/or neighbour. | Disclosure to employer: So that he should not be surprised whenever I make an excuse to be absent from work to go to the hospital as it has happened today. (Male, 32 years) |
| Support group | We encourage each other and care for people who are very ill, that can't work on their own. (Female, 29 years, married) |
| Support through church/religion | They normally talk of how best an HIV patient can live as well as encouraging people to adhere to treatment. (Female, 39 years) |
| Treatment supporter/guardian* | I was advised to come for another counselling session with a guardian at a given date but a problem was which guardian [treatment supporter] I could bring since my wife is away, my brother is a busy person. (Male, 33 years) |
AIDS: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; ART: antiretroviral therapy; HIV: human immunodeficiency virus.
*
All respondents had a documented treatment supporter; however, some patients stated challenges as shown in the illustrative quote.