Antiretroviral therapy: Expert highlights why HIV-positive patients discontinue treatment

Ongoing military actions and displacement are among the key factors causing HIV-positive patients in Ukraine to interrupt their antiretroviral therapy.

Yaroslava Lopatina, head of AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Ukraine, shared these findings during a press conference at Media Center Ukraine.

“In September and October, our organization conducted a survey with the assistance of a research agency. We asked doctors what they identified as the primary reasons for discontinuing antiretroviral therapy. Interruptions can be influenced by the patient’s mindset, but there are also objective factors beyond their control,” Lopatina explained. “We surveyed 109 doctors across Ukraine, and they pointed to three main reasons: alcohol and drug addiction, mental health disorders, and depression.

“When asked whether the war has impacted therapy interruptions, the vast majority of doctors confirmed that it has. The primary reasons cited were continued military actions and migration,” Lopatina added.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news