"…So that's why we hide, we don't want them to know"- Challenges to Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence in Kampala, Uganda.

Abstract

The aim of this study wasto advance knowledge of the social, geographical, and economic complexities faced by people on cART and to understand how they navigate treatment adherence within the urban context of Kampala, Uganda.Semi-structured interviews (n=30) were conducted with individuals receiving HIV treatment from the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) in Kampala. The thematic analysis of the interview transcripts was conducted in NVivo, with direct quotations from the transcripts used to illustrate key themes.It emerged from the interviews thatkeychallenges faced by people on HIV treatment include: the burden of the drug regimen, food insecurity, transportation and travel, and stigma.All participants frequently emphasized the negative effects of stigma on their daily lives, whether at work, at home or in transit. The study's participants also suggested that knowledge of HIV and HIV treatment is still lacking in their broader communities, which impacts how people living with HIV are perceived. Social processes such as stigmatization in public places must be considered by health policy makers, in orderto maximize treatment adherence. Efforts towards public sensitization can help to create social settings which allow those on HIV treatment to take their medication without fear of judgement.