Exploring Reasons For Starting Antiretroviral Treatment Early Among Patients In South Africa Reasons for starting antiretroviral treatment early
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Mamokete Catherine Moloto
Prof Mathildah
Muhammad Hoque
Abstract
All people living with HIV (PLHIV), regardless of CD4 count or clinical stage, are eligible for immediate initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) under the Universal Test and Treat (UTT) approach. Although a high proportion of individuals have been tested, diagnosed, and initiated on ART, retention in HIV care remains a significant challenge. An exploratory qualitative study design was employed among PLHIV enrolled in the UTT programme in the Ekurhuleni District, located east of Johannesburg in Gauteng Province, South Africa. In-depth interviews were conducted with 26 PLHIV aged 18 years and older who had initiated ART and had been on treatment for at least 6–12 months. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, managed using NVivo version 12 software, and analysed thematically. Five major themes emerged regarding reasons for early ART initiation: (1) fears and doubts about starting ART, (2) motivation to initiate ART early, (3) anticipated benefits of early ART initiation, (4) perceptions of ART in comparison to basic needs and other treatments, and (5) perceptions regarding discontinuation of ART. The finding found that public awareness, continuous counselling and support for PLHIV are needed to increase UTT uptake and retain those already in HIV care.
Keywords: Benefits of starting ART, Fear, Motivation, Public Awareness
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Copyright (c) 2026 Mamokete Catherine Moloto, Prof Mathildah, Muhammad Hoque
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