PROFESSIONAL OPINIONS ABOUT FACTORS THAT FACILITATE OR HAMPER HIV PATIENTS ATTRACTING TO AND RETAINING IN THE SCOPE OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES

Abstract

Early attracting of HIV patients to health care services allows commencing HIV treatment at earlier stages, facilitates adherence to therapy, increases ART effectiveness, improves life quality of patients, and prevents HIV spread. To study factors that facilitate or hamper the involvement and retention of people living with HIV (PLH) in health care services, in-depth interviews were conducted in 2013-2014 with 30 providers of medico-social services to PLH at state institutions (SI) and non-state organizations (NO). Differences in the opinions of these two groups of professionals were found. SI representatives talked more about HIV detection resulting from examinations of clinical or epidemiological indications, pregnant women examinations, and planned testing for HIV. An NO representative spoke more about the effectiveness of targeted educational interventions. The main factors that facilitate HIV patients involvement and retention in HIV health care services are the presence of multidisciplinary teams, effective case management, and effective pre- and posttest counseling. Three of four informants pointed out positive roles of communities of people who live with HIV Two groups of barriers against HIV patients involvement and retention in health care services were identified. One group relates to health care services (infrastructure, quality, and privacy). The other group relates to attitudes frequently held in families and communities (persistent myths about HIV and stigmatization of people living with HIV).