Provider Perspectives on Rapid Treatment Initiation Among People Newly Diagnosed With HIV: A New Message of "Urgency"?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy improves human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) outcomes. However, achieving earlier treatment initiation is challenging for many reasons including provider awareness and clinic barriers; this study sought to understand perceptions of an early initiation program.

Methods

We interviewed 10 providers from 3 HIV clinics in North Carolina (October-November 2020). We asked providers about overall perceptions of early initiation and the pilot program. We developed narrative summaries to understand individual contexts and conducted thematic analysis using NVivo.

Results

Providers believed earlier initiation would signal an "extra sense of urgency" about the importance of antiretroviral therapy-a message not currently reflecte

SUBMITTER: Uhrig Castonguay BJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11378170 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature