Pill taking from the perspective of HIV-Infected women who are vulnerable to antiretroviral treatment failure.

We conducted this longitudinal qualitative study to gain in-depth understanding of HIV-infected women's experiences with antiretroviral (ARV) regimens, exploring from their perspective what medication taking was like for them and what it meant in the context of their everyday lives. We engaged 55 participants over a 2-year period in 10 narrative-eliciting interviews. From their medication stories, we were able to track a 2-year prospective pattern of self-reported adherence for each individual who was prescribed ARVs. In this article we focus on the medication experiences of a subsample of 14 women who persistently had difficulties taking ARVs as prescribed, detailing their descriptions and evaluations of pill taking. Results suggest that rather than judging themselves harshly for nonadherence, they perceived their at-odds pill taking to be personally meaningful and accomplished for good purpose. Their rationales provide insights for more nuanced, empowerment-based interventions for individuals who are vulnerable to ARV treatment failure.