'...So that's why we hide, we don't want them to know'-challenges to antiretroviral therapy adherence in Kampala, Uganda

摘要

This study's aim was to advance knowledge of challenges faced by people living with HIV (PLWH) and to understand how they navigate treatment adherence in the context of Kampala, Uganda. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts was conducted in NVivo. It emerged from the interviews that PLWH grapple with stigma, as well as the burden of the drug regimen, food insecurity, and transport and travel. All participants emphasized the negative effects of stigma on their daily lives, whether at work, at home or in transit. Social processes such as stigmatization must be considered by health policymakers, to maximize treatment adherence.