title: Behaviors Influencing Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission in the Context of Positive Prevention among People Living with HIV/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome in Iran: A Qualitative Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identifying factors, which influence health behaviors is critical to designing appropriate and effective preventive programs. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission is highly related to people behaviors and understanding factors influencing healthy behaviors among Iranian people living with HIVs (PLHIVs)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is very important to tailor an effective response to HIV/AIDS epidemic.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted as a qualitative study by methods of focus group discussion and in-depth interview in six provinces of Iran with 64 PLHIVs to determine factors influence engagement in positive prevention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Knowledge and education, feelings of responsibility and positive prevention practices were identified as the primary domains of engagement. These domains were found to be influenced by feelings of ostracism and frustration, poverty, barriers to disclosure of HIV status, access to and utilization of drug abuse treatment services and antiretroviral therapy, adherence to treatment, age, religiousness, sex work, singleness, and incarceration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Designing new interventions and updating current interventions directed toward the aforementioned factors should be addressed by responsible Iranian authorities in order to have a national effective response on the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
authors.affiliation: UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
authors.forename: Seyed Ramin
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Radfar
authors.affiliation: Center for Disease Control of Iran, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sedaghat
authors.affiliation: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Arash Tehrani
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Banihashemi
authors.affiliation: Center for Disease Control of Iran, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammadmehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gouya
authors.affiliation: UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rawson
keywords: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Iran; human immunodeficiency virus; people living with HIVs; positive prevention