Treatment is My Life Now: Experiences of Treatments among People Living with HIV in the Pacific Islands

This report summarises the results of qualitative research that was conducted to better understand reasons for initiating, continuing and ceasing treatment among PLHIV in the Pacific Islands. In total, 49 PLHIV were inter-viewed, including 23 HIV-positive people in Fiji, 11 HIV-positive people in Guam, 2 HIV-positive people in Kiribati, 5 HIV-positive people in Samoa and 8 HIV-positive people in Solomon Islands. A training workshop was held in November 2011 where the team of 10 PLHIV peer researchers, 2 training support facilitators and the team leader worked in collaboration to develop the method for the study. In-depth interviews were selected as the research method to gain a detailed understanding of the participants’ treatment experiences. Research participants were recruited through PLHIV support networks where they exist and through health clinics that provide treatment to PLHIV.