Food Insecurity and Nutritional Barriers to Antiretroviral Therapy: Lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract

Poor nutrition and food insecurity are emerging as important barriers to antiretroviral therapy access and adherence in low-resource settings, yet little is known about these barriers in Latin America and Caribbean. This qualitative study used community expert interviews to explore the links between food insecurity, undernutrition, and HIV/AIDS treatment in the region. Results indicate that food insecurity and undernutrition are closely linked to quality of life, health status, and access and adherence to antiretroviral therapy in the region. Social services, such as food assistance and nutrition counseling, and access to social protection networks are needed for people with HIV infection who are economically vulnerable so that the full advantages of antiretroviral therapy can be realized.

KEYWORDS:

• ART
• Caribbean
• comprehensive care
• food security
• Latin America
• nutrition

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank all those who contributed directly and indirectly to our study. In particular, we thank Lisbeth Escala and Hugo Farias for their assistance in developing and carrying out the interviews. In addition, we thank the many people who allowed us to interview them and learn from their work and perspectives; for confidentiality reasons, they are not named.

Notes

*Figures based on current surveillance data. However, Soto et al. (2007) report lower HIV prevalence rates for FSW and MSM in El Salvador and substantially higher rates for FSW and MSM in Honduras.

Source: UNAIDS, 2008a.

*For example: general consultant, social worker, activist, etc.