Challenges to ART scale-up in a rural district in Tanzania: stigma and distrust among Tanzanian health care workers, people living with HIV and community members.
OBJECTIVE
To explore attitudes, perceptions and practices among health care workers, antiretroviral treatment (ART) patients and community members regarding ART care and the social consequences of ART roll-out in rural Tanzania.


METHODS
We performed focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with health care workers, community members, ART patients, religious leaders, as well as social workers. Field observations and ethnographic assessments were conducted in parallel.


RESULTS
We found widespread negative attitudes and perceptions of ART care HIV testing and the ART programme, a lack of trust in its sustainability, as well as lack of community and health worker involvement in the programme planning and treatment. HIV-positive individuals on ART reported risky behaviours with the aim of revenge and were feared by community members. We also found that the ART availability was seen as an incentive to engage in HIV testing among some community members.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings underline the importance of involving health workers and the community at a high level and their important role in promoting trust in the ART programme. There is an immense need to adjust interventions focusing on stigma reduction in the direction of ART scale-up and to build awareness among ART patients so they understand how risky behaviours affect their personal well-being and the community at large.
Agnarson
Abela Mpobela
AM
Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Global Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. abela.agnarson@ki.se
Masanja
Honorati
H
Ekström
Anna Mia
AM
Eriksen
Jaran
J
Tomson
Göran
G
Thorson
Anna
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011287:Prejudice; D012423:Rural Health; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D013636:Tanzania; D055815:Young Adult
D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents