In the United States and in other wealthy countries, the psychosocial experience of patients living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) and the impact of depression, stigma, and lack of social support on free highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) adherence and HIV outcomes has been well-described. Yet, there is little literature on how psychosocial characteristics of PLHA impact HAART non-adherence and clinical outcomes in resource-poor settings. Professor Sonya Shin with support from a DRCLAS Collaborative Research Grant, is conducting a targeted qualitative study to investigate local constructs of depression, stigma and social support relevant to this HIV affected population in two neighboring health districts in Lima, Peru.

Main primary goals of the study are to asses stigma, social support, and depression among PLHA, assess the association between these psychosocial characteristics and clinical outcomes and Assess the change in psychosocial characteristics at 12 months, compared with baseline among patients who have initiated HAART.

Participating Harvard faculty: Sonya Sunhi Shin, Assistant Professor  of Medicine                 

Collaborators: Maribel Muñóz

Collaborative Institutions: NGO Socios en Salud