A Qualitative Exploration of the Role of Antiretroviral Therapy on Chinese Rural Life

• Published in: Biomedical and environmental sciences 2012-02, Vol.25 (1), p.69-76
• Main Authors: MING, Zhong Qiang, CHENG, Feng, LIU, Qian, AIRAWANWAT, Rangsima, CHEN, Yao Hong, ZHU, Qiu Ying, LIU, Wei, WANG, Yuan, ZHANG, Kong Lai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anti-Retroviral Agents - therapeutic use; China; Female; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV/AIDS; Humans; Life Style; Male; Middle Aged; Qualitative study; Quality of Life; Rural Population; Young Adult; 中国农村; 国际开发; 广西壮族自治区; 生活质量; 艾滋病毒; 药物治疗; 记者采访; 逆转录病毒
• ISSN: 0895-3988; 2214-0190
• DOI: 10.3967/0895-3988.2012.01.010

Objective To explore factors influencing the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS （PLHA） and receiving antiretroviral therapy （ART） in rural China. Methods In-depth interviews with 20 PLHA recruited from the USAID-funded Longitudinal cohort of eligible PLHA receiving treatment were conducted in March 1999. Participants were Enhanced Evaluation of ART Project, which tracks a at five collaborating treatment centers in Guangxi Autonomous Region, China. An interview guide （semi-structured with open-ended questions） was developed to provide a qualitative examination of the quality of life of PLHA. Results Participants identified that ART affects physical health, including the experience of pain, side effects, and opportunistic infections. ART imposes lifestyle constraints such as reduced mobility due to drug procurement, and social restrictions due to the daily drug regimen. Participants discussed the psychological burden of taking drugs, and the fear of accidental transmission to others, or having their disease status known by others, as well as optimistic feelings about their future due to ART. ART poses a significant drain on individual＇s economic resources due to related medical costs, and inability to seek seasonal migrant labor due to reduced mobility. Conclusion While China＇s national free ART program improved the physical health of those surveyed, their social and economic needs were left unaddressed. To improve life outcomes for PLHA, and by extension, the wider Chinese population, quality of life measures should be included when evaluating the success of the ART program.