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.