No Hiv, No Aids

There are several reasons why many patients have difficulty adhering to an HIV treatment plan.

One reason is that HIV treatment plans are very complicated. Studies have shown that many people may have difficulty adhering to even simple treatment plans. Yet HIV treatment may involve taking 25 or more pills each day. In addition, some HIV drugs must be taken on an empty stomach, while others must be taken with meals. This can be difficult for many people, especially those who are sick or experiencing HIV symptoms. Also, HIV-infected patients may need to continue their treatment regimens for a long time, perhaps for their entire lives.

HIV-infected patients have reported other reasons for poor adherence, including unpleasant side effects (like nausea), sleeping through doses, travelling away from home, being too busy, feeling sick or depressed, or simply forgetting to take their medications.