"It Will Make It Easier for Us to Live Better": Perspectives on Long-Acting Injectable HIV Treatment Among Monolingual Spanish-Speaking People With HIV

AIDS Educ Prev. 2026 Jun;38(3):224-238. doi: 10.1521/aeap.2026.38.3.224.

Abstract

Long-acting injectable ART (LAI-ART) may mitigate barriers to ART adherence, but research is needed to optimize LAI-ART for Spanish-speaking people with HIV (PWH). As part of a larger multi-site qualitative study, we conducted 20 semistructured interviews with monolingual Spanish-speaking PWH at a Ryan White-funded academic HIV clinic. Transcripts were analyzed in Spanish using thematic analysis. The median age of participants was 47 years (range 25-68), 30% were cis women, 10% were trans women, and all were born in Latin America. Three themes emerged: (1) injection familiarity as a mediator of LAI-ART acceptability, (2) concerns about the compatibility of LAI-ART with one's body, and (3) concerns that use of LAI-ART could impact the ability to return to one's country of origin. Monolingual Spanish-speaking PWH demonstrated substantial interest in LAI-ART. Provider awareness of patients' preferences, beliefs, and migration considerations can help empower patients to make informed decisions about their HIV care.

Keywords: HIV; Hispanic; LAI-ART; Latinx; adherence; long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-HIV Agents* / administration & dosage
  • Anti-HIV Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Delayed-Action Preparations / administration & dosage
  • Female
  • HIV Infections* / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections* / ethnology
  • HIV Infections* / psychology
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Hispanic or Latino* / psychology
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Male
  • Medication Adherence* / ethnology
  • Medication Adherence* / psychology
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care* / ethnology
  • Qualitative Research

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Delayed-Action Preparations