Antiretroviral therapy: Compliance level and the perception of HIV/AIDS patients

Abstract

Objective: Understand the aspects related to HIV/AIDS patients’ compliance level with antiretroviral drugs. Methods: Qualitative study developed at two inpatient units of a university hospital in the interior of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The data were produced between October 2017 and April 2018, interviewing 40 participants. The produced material was recorded and later transcribed. For the data analysis and processing, the Descending Hierarchical Classification technique was used for support, in the framework of the Collective Subject Discourse. Results: After the analysis and processing, five word classes resulted: 1. Socioeconomic aspects as fundamental reasons for non-compliance with antiretrovirals; 2. Family support to cope with the condition and stimulate treatment compliance; 3. Consequences of the compliance level with antiretrovirals; 4. Difficulties to comply with antiretroviral therapy related to adverse effects and medicine format; and 5. Possible changes to improve compliance with HIV treatment. Conclusion: The main difficulties people living with HIV/AIDS who are hospitalized and with irregular compliance face are socioeconomic aspects, family support and adverse effects.