PHARMACIST STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE ADHERENCE TO ANTIRRETROVIRAL THERAPY IN ADULTS WITH HIV/AIDS

Abstract

HIV/AIDS has been part of the lives of millions of people around the world since the 1980s, and since then, better treatment alternatives have been sought with antiretroviral drugs. Unfortunately, people with this virus find it difficult to adhere to antiretroviral therapy, as it still has several side effects, in addition to other factors that contribute to low treatment adherence, such as prejudice, social stigma, and level of education, among others. In this context, pharmacists play an essential role within the multidisciplinary team in increasing patient adherence to therapy, clarifying doubts, providing guidance on the concomitant use of antiretrovirals and other medications, and explaining the possible adverse effects that may affect people with HIV/AIDS. It is also the pharmacist who will teach the patient how to store and take these medications correctly, always promoting the well-being of this population. Thus, the overall objective of this study was to understand how the pharmacist can contribute to treatment adherence in the lives of patients with HIV/AIDS. The methodology used in this article was a literature review, which is qualitative and descriptive in nature, with searches conducted in the following databases: SciELO, PubMed, BVS, Google Scholar, as well as publications and booklets from the Ministry of Health. Twenty-five works published in full between 2014 and 2025 were used, all of which were freely accessible and relevant to the central theme. It was found that pharmacists, by practicing active listening, promote adherence to treatment and control of infection.