Socioeconomic trajectories across the life course and HIV/AIDS adherence behaviors among affected women

The aim of this study was to explore, identify and analyze the relation between socioeconomic trajectories across the life course and HIV/AIDS adherence behaviors among Colombian women living with HIV. A qualitative study with content analysis was conducted. Through a stratified purposeful sampling, thirty-six women from the city of Cali were eligible to participate in a series of in-depth interviews. Two groups were formed based on the official socioeconomic stratification in the country. They were interviewed in one group of 18 women from a low socioeconomic position and a group of 18 women from middle and high socioeconomic positions. Macro context environments associated with each level of socioeconomic position, the psychological and behavioral pathways and the HIV/AIDS adherence behaviors of the participant women were identified. The accumulated exposure can explain the connection among the three levels. The findings show that the perspective of the life course can help to understand and explain the results in the biological, psychological and behavioral systems related to the adherence to treatment in persons living with HIV/AIDS; all this is in conjunction with the socioeconomic position of people placed in a determined social structure.