Attitudes Toward Antiretroviral Therapy Among African American Women

Objective: To examine attitudes and beliefs of African American women of childbearing age, living with HIV, about pregnancy and antiretroviral therapy. Methods: Focus groups were conducted using an exploratory design with a convenience sample of HIV-infected women in 2 southeastern cities. Results: Thirty-three African American women of child-bearing age participated in 5 focus groups. Attitudes and beliefs about antiretroviral therapy were related to the women\u27s willingness to comply with treatment. Conclusion: The challenge for health care providers is to counter women\u27s willingness to “play the odds“ of having a noninfected baby without taking antiretrovirals