Experiences of patients living with HIV and AIDS on antiretroviral therapy in Accra, Ghana.
Joana Agyeman-Yeboah, Esmeralda J Ricks, Margaret Williams and 1 others
PMID 38708757WHAT IT FOUND
Patients on HIV medication said stigma, side effects, forgetfulness, travel and cost made taking treatment hard.
Feeling healthier motivated them to keep taking it.
Key findings
01Participants described shock, disbelief, sadness, depressed feelings, fear of death and suicidal thoughts after learning they were HIV positive.
02Stigma and discrimination included family refusing to share facilities or food, marital mistreatment and threats of divorce, while some kept their status private to avoid discrimination.
03Participants said improved health motivated them to adhere, but side effects, forgetfulness, travelling without medication and money problems were barriers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only a small purposive sample from three public hospitals in Accra was interviewed, so the findings describe this group and may not apply to other settings. Participants had to communicate in English, which may exclude patients who use other languages. The study reports experiences rather than measured adherence, viral load or treatment outcomes, so it cannot show which barriers cause missed doses. HIV stigma and privacy may have limited what participants were willing to disclose.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that stigma, side effects or cost caused missed doses for all people on HIV treatment. This study reports experiences from a small group and did not compare groups or measure adherence outcomes.