Physician Decisions to Defer Antiretroviral Therapy in Key Populations: Implications for Reducing Human Immunodeficiency Virus Incidence and Mortality in Malaysia

Abstract

BACKGROUND Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is recommended for all people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), yet physician attitudes and prescribing behaviors toward members of key risk populations may limit ART access and undermine treatment as prevention strategies. METHODS Physicians in Malaysia (N = 214) who prescribe antiretroviral therapy (ART) responded in an Internet-based survey to hypothetical clinical scenarios of HIV patients, varying by key risk population and CD4+ T-cell count, on whether they would initiate or defer ART compared with a control patient with sexually acquired HIV. RESULTS The proportion of physicians who would defer ART in patients with advanced HIV (CD4 = 17 cells/μL) was significantly higher (P