Women and antiretroviral therapy adherence: examining the impact of internalized stigma by gender

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) and ambitious treatment strategies such as Treatment as Prevention (TASP) and 90-90-90 have reduced HIV-related morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV (PLWH), and substantially decreased the likelihood of transmission of the virus to others. The benefits of ART are not felt equally among all PLWH, as PLWH may not be able to maintain ART adherence. This study examines gender differences in ART adherence and the sociostructural and psychosocial factors associated with such differences in British Columbia, Canada. Methods: Quantitative analyses assessed optimal ART adherence by gender, longitudinally and cross-sectionally, using bivariate, multivariate analyses, as well as structural equation modelling. All analyses used data collected from 2000 onward by the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS from BC, Canada, with adherence measured using pharmacy refill compliance data. Findings: Gender-based disparities were evident in ART adherence in BC, with a significantly lower proportion of women attaining optimal (≥95%) adherence relative to men (57.0% versus 77.1; p