Table 2.

Practical factors influencing adherence identified from questionnaires.

Theme number	Practical Barrier category	Included factors
1	Formulation	Taste of tablets Shape of tablets Size of tablets Swallowing difficulties Inconvenience caused by injections (e.g., pain, bleeding, scars)
2	Instructions for use	Dosing frequency Total number of medicines needed to take (pill/medication burden) Storage of medication (e.g., ease of bringing medicines around/fridge/storage requirements/convenience of carrying the medication during travel or outside work (transport/storage) Restrictions whilst on the medicine (e.g., on food/diet/alcohol/driving) Administration requirements (at time of administration) (e.g., needing to stay upright post administration/taking the medication with specific fluid/dosing at specific times of day) Variable dose pattern (e.g., dose varies/tapering dose) Side effect burden (e.g., such as increased urination limiting activities) Therapeutic drug monitoring requirements (including lab tests/any required doctor visits/self-monitoring requirements (e.g., blood sugars)
3	Issues with remembering	Busy schedule (e.g., time needed to take medication) Difficulties establishing medication routine
4	Capability—knowledge and skills	Reading and understanding dispensing labels Difficulties with opening container/packaging Not understanding health provider instructions Being confused or having difficulty identifying what each of medicine does Calculating correct dose Cutting pills to get correct dose Knowing names of medicines Knowing time of administration, how to take, why they are on the medication, amount to take
5	Financial	Direct: Cost of medication Indirect: Travel fares, monitoring costs to treat your disease/other costs General financial difficulties: Meeting insurance or medication funding criteria
6	Medication supply	Pharmacy does not have supply Patient has run out of medications Needing to obtain refills or scripts Not having medicine on hand Not knowing where or how to get supply Transport issues to access healthcare or problems with collecting medicines (e.g., transport, parking space, or self-help for the journey)
7	Social environment	Social influences impeding medication-taking (e.g., reluctance to take medication in front of friends or in a public place) Embarrassment around medication-taking Stigma associated with certain medication (e.g., psychotropic or antiretroviral medicines)