title: Responsibility and expectations in antiretroviral therapy--patients' versus doctors' perspective.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper aims to uncover what patients really expect form ART, and also what infectious diseases doctors expect from a patient's ART regime, thus exploring an important side of adherence to ART.
  
  
  METHODS
  From July to November 2014 we have conducted a qualitative study regarding both patients' and doctors' expectations form the ART. We interviewed 30 patients and 4 doctors. We used semi-structured interviews that were conducted in the Psychosocial Compartment of the HIV/AIDS Regional Center in Iasi.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients we interviewed came from all 6 counties in the Moldova area. Age varied from 16 years to 59 years; 55% were female and 45% male. 30% came from a rural area. The most common expectations that patients have regarding ART are: "to help me live", "not to make me feel sick", "to be easy to take (not to big, not a lot)", "not to show on the outside what I have on the inside". The infectious diseases doctors that we interviewed work in the HIV/AIDS Regional Center in Iasi. Their expectations regarding an ART regimen for patients were: "to reduce HIV viral load", "to increase CD4 cell count" and "to have minimal impact on the proper functioning of other organs". Patients consider themselves the only factors responsible for their own ART adherence in 56.6% of cases; 20% consider the doctor to be responsible for their adherence, 16.6% feel that their family, friends, and spouse are responsible, and 6.6% (2 patients) couldn't answer. Infectious diseases doctors considered that patients are 100% responsible for adhering to the antiretroviral therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In order to assure adherence to the ART it is important to explore both the doctor and the patient's perspective and to find ways to find a common ground in building a healthy relationship.
authors.forename: Maria Alexandra
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Largu
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dorobăţ
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oprea
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Astărăstoae
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Manciuc
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010819:Physician's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012383:Romania; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019562:Viral Load / Q000187:drug effects