1. The Lived Experience of Antiretroviral Therapy for Pregnant Women: Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence as a Balancing Act.
- Author
-
Shore JE, Paun O, and Vonderheid SC
- Subjects
- Adult, Female, HIV Infections psychology, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious drug therapy, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious virology, Qualitative Research, Quality of Life, Viral Load, Anti-HIV Agents therapeutic use, Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active methods, HIV Infections drug therapy, Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical prevention & control, Medication Adherence psychology, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious psychology, Pregnant Women psychology
- Abstract
We explored 10 pregnant women's experiences with antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence using a qualitative approach. Semistructured interviews were conducted with pregnant ethnic minority women living with HIV and receiving integrated HIV/obstetric care at a Midwestern academic medical center in the United States. Data were analyzed using an interpretive phenomenology approach to identify major themes. We found an overarching theme: ART Adherence as a Balancing Act (striving to adhere to ART while having to simultaneously navigate daily challenges). We also identified four interrelated subthemes: struggles, support, motivators, and reminders. Findings highlight the need for clinicians to be sensitive to the emotional burdens of living with HIV while pregnant, a constant factor affecting quality of life and adherence. Having conversations about barriers and facilitators to adherence and encouraging women to identify strategies that support adherence are needed rather than focusing solely on pill counts and viral load.
- Published
- 2020
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