Long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy (LA ART) may be an alternative for people living with HIV (PLHIV) with adherence challenges or who prefer not to take pills. Using in-depth interviews, this study sought to understand the experiences of PLHIV (n = 53) participating in Phase 3 LA ART trials in the United States and Spain. The most salient consideration when contemplating LA ART was its clinical efficacy; many participants reported wanting to ensure that it worked as well as daily oral ART, including with less frequent dosing (every 8 versus 4 weeks). While injection side effects were often reported, most participants felt that regimen benefits outweighed such drawbacks. Participants described the main benefit of LA ART as the “freedom” it afforded both logistically and psychosocially, including through reduced HIV stigma. Findings highlight the importance of patient-provider communication related to weighing potential benefits and side effects and the continued need to address HIV stigma.

长效可注射抗逆转录病毒疗法（LA ART）对于患有依从性挑战或不愿吃药的HIV感染者（PLHIV）可能是一种替代选择。通过深入访谈，本研究试图了解PLHIV（n = 53）参加美国和西班牙的LA ART 3期试验的经历。在考虑LA ART时，最重要的考虑因素是其临床疗效。许多参与者表示希望确保其与每日口服抗逆转录病毒药物一样有效，包括给药频率较低（每8周对4周）。尽管经常报告有注射副作用，但大多数参与者认为治疗方案的好处胜于这些缺点。与会者将LA ART的主要好处描述为在逻辑上和心理上都提供了“自由”，包括通过减少艾滋病毒的耻辱感。