TITLE:
A Qualitative Look at Decreasing Barriers to Receiving Uninterrupted Care for People Living with HIV in Rural Southern Georgia
AUTHORS:
Joshua M. Kies
KEYWORDS:
Antiretroviral Treatment (ART), Barriers, Compliance, HIV, Rural
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.14 No.8,
August
27,
2024
ABSTRACT: Early linkage to antiretroviral therapy (ART) after HIV diagnosis extends life. Low socioeconomic populations with HIV face regional concerns that inhibit early treatment. Barriers include religious-based stigma, lack of local treatment facilities, fear of discovery and purposeful secrecy fostering increased HIV transmission and decreased ART adherence. This ethnographic qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with 10 health care providers (HCP) and 10 people living with HIV (PLWH) to discover methods to streamline care and increase medication adherence. Clients perceive enhanced care when they are active participants in treatment. HCPs reported positive health outcomes when there was active multidisciplinary communication. Obstacles included a lack of consistent medication assistance programs, homelessness, and limited access to specialized services. There is a need for further investigation on how to provide individualized, holistic treatment to a population of patients with extremely limited federal funding in a geographic region where religious stigma surrounding HIV is widespread.