Attitudes toward antiretroviral therapy among African American women.
OBJECTIVE
To examine attitudes and beliefs of African American women of childbearing age, living with HIV, about pregnancy and antiretroviral therapy.


METHODS
Focus groups were conducted using an exploratory design with a convenience sample of HIV-infected women in 2 southeastern cities.


RESULTS
Thirty-three African American women of childbearing age participated in 5 focus groups. Attitudes and beliefs about antiretroviral therapy were related to the women's willingness to comply with treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The challenge for health care providers is to counter women's willingness to "play the odds" of having a noninfected baby without taking antiretrovirals.
Richter
Donna L
DL
Department of Health Promotion and Education, Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia 29208, USA. drichter@sph.sc.edu
Sowell
Richard L
RL
Pluto
Delores M
DM
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents