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55 ‘I can coexist with HIV’: a qualitative study of perceptions of HIV “cure” among people living with HIV in Guangzhou, China

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Understanding perceptions and expectations for HIV "cure" by people living with HIV (PLHIV) has become increasingly important for the scientific community in terms of patient recruitment for clinical trials and participant education.The primary goal of this study was to explore the perceptions of HIV cure by PLHIV in China in relation to their views on HIV treatment, stigma, and social identity.Methods: From September 2014 to June 2015, we conducted in-depth interviews with 22 PLHIV in Guangzhou, China.Participants were recruited from the HIV clinic of the largest infectious diseases hospital in south China.Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim from Mandarin Chinese.A code-based methodology was used to identify themes and structure the analysis.Results: Our qualitative data were categorized into three major themes: 1) Pictures of HIV cure.Our data demonstrated that while they can imagine life without HIV, PLHIV generally thought HIV cure was far away from them, and were realistic about the continuation of their current treatment.2) Possibility of HIV cure.Ideas about the possibility of HIV cure by PLHIV ranged from optimism to skepticism to pessimism.3) Life without HIV cure.Some participants had normalized HIV infection and ART adherence in their daily life and adjusted well to the chronic condition of HIV.They emphasized the importance of a positive attitude towards coexisting with HIV.The data also suggested that some participants regarded stigma and discrimination associated with HIV as the biggest concerns in their lives.Conclusions: Our findings indicate that although some PLHIV interviewed in Guangzhou, China, looked forward to changes that HIV cure might bring to their lives, most had little interest in HIV cure.Rather, they preferred to have better ART medication and more education for the general public to eliminate stigma associated with HIV.

Source: Journal of Virus Eradication

DOI: 10.1016/s2055-6640(20)31000-1