Medication-Related Barriers to Entering HIV Care

Abstract Early entry to HIV care and receipt of antiretroviral therapy improve the health of the individual and decrease the risk of transmission in the community. To increase the limited information on prospective decisions to enter care and how these decisions relate to beliefs about HIV medications, we analyzed interview data from the Never in Care Project, a multisite project conducted in Indiana, New Jersey, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington State. From March 2008 through August 2010, we completed structured interviews with 134 persons with no evidence of HIV care entry, 48 of whom also completed qualitative interviews. Many respondents believed that HIV care entails the passive receipt of medications that may be harmful or unnecessary, resulting in reluctance to enter care. Respondents voiced concerns about prescription practices and preserving future treatment options, mistrust of medications and medical care providers, and ambivalence about the life-preserving properties of medications i...