Understanding the barriers to antiretroviral adherence is a critical step in improving the effectiveness of HIV treatment and saving lives. We sought to assess, qualitatively, the experiences of HIV-positive persons taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) in North Carolina. Twenty-four people participated in one of six focus groups. A structured interview script included three questions (two open-ended) and eight probes. Each discussion was taped, transcribed, and content-analyzed. Three distinct themes emerged. First, many participants believed that taking ART was lifesaving but missed doses because they feared that taking them in public would reveal their HIV status. Second, as a result, participants often found it difficult to integrate their regimens into the most basic daily activities. Finally, participants stressed the importance of having open, ongoing dialogues about their treatment plans and privacy needs with a wide range of health care workers. Multidimensional, tailored interventions may help persons living with HIV overcome the stigma and other complex barriers they face in taking antiretroviral therapy.

The Enhancing Data Utilization Skills through Information Technology (EDUSIT) project trained Maternal and Child Health professionals to collect, analyze and interpret data via a year-long web-based course. The overall goal of the project was to strengthen the technology and analytic skills of the public health workforce. This article describes and analyzes a web-based module for training public health professionals to use qualitative research and evaluation methods that was one of six offered within the EDUSIT project. The qualitative module consisted of six units: overview of qualitative methods, planning qualitative studies, conducting field observations, qualitative interviewing, analyzing qualitative data and presenting qualitative findings. Evaluation results found no statistically significant changes in specific knowledge or beliefs about qualitative methods. However, the change in participants' self-efficacy was statistically significant. Participants' self-reports also showed significant changes in perceived skill levels in 'collecting qualitative data through an interview' and 'analyzing and interpreting qualitative data'. Most participants rated each lesson within the qualitative methods module as valuable, and most found the teaching methods used satisfactory, emphasizing the value of both the didactic teaching and the practical exercises and team project. The most common difficulty reported was finding the time to complete the module requirements while also working full-time. Implications of these findings for web-based teaching of public health professionals are discussed.

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Planning skills are one of the seven essential responsibilities of health educators, according to the National Commission of Health Education Credentialing program; yet little information is available about who provides training in planning, what type of training is offered, and what planning models are taught. A survey of 253 accredited graduate and undergraduate health education programs (response rate = 56%) was undertaken to gather information about planning and the professional preparation of health educators. Results revealed that planning instructors were primarily full-time, experienced, and about one half were CHES certified. Overall, 88% (113/129) of respondents taught the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, and 62% (81/131) taught the planned approach to community health (PATCH) model. Few planning differences were found at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Content analysis of 56 course syllabi revealed that 80% (45/56) required students to complete a program plan proposal or document as the culminating project for the course. Implications for teaching, research, and practice are discussed.