Objective: The objective of the present study was to explore the barriers and supporting factors for adherence among HIV patients and to explore their needs for pharmaceutical care services.
Methods: This study utilizes in-depth interviews with HIV patients. Out of 50 patients approached, a total of 30 patients agreed to participate in the study. The researchers used a predesigned topic guide. The interview guide included two parts; the first one focused on the assessment of HIV patients' adherence to their treatment. The second part focused on patients' need for pharmaceutical care services.
Results: Three main themes emerged from the interviews. Those included patient-related factors, medication-related factors and Healthcare professional related factors. This study found that a number of barriers that decreased adherence in HIV patients included stigmatisation, fear from disclosure, dosage form of the drug, adverse events and poor cooperation from healthcare professionals. On the other side supporting factors included family and friends support, electronic mobile reminders, feeling responsible to raising children, religious beliefs and feeling improvement while using therapy. Furthermore, the study illustrated that HIV patients need to have a specialist pharmacist in their healthcare team who delivers specialised pharmaceutical care services which may increase patients' adherence.
Conclusions: The current study reveals a margin for medication adherence improvement in HIV patients. Patients in this study demonstrated the need for a pharmaceutical care. Future disease management and clinical pharmacy services programs should address the current study findings in order to improve the health service for HIV patients.
© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.