This report presents the results of Living with HIV over the Long Term, a qualitative study led by community-based researchers at the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) and Casey House.
Since the introduction of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) in 1996, the medications available to treat HIV have been effective at managing the replication of the virus in the body, improving the health of people living with HIV. Today, a person diagnosed with HIV able to access and adhere to HIV medications can anticipate a life expectancy similar to that of uninfected populations. Even though living long term with HIV is the reality for most people living with the virus, the long-term experience of HIV is poorly understood. This study was designed to address this knowledge gap and build our understanding of the priorities and experiences of people living long term with HIV in Toronto.