I Can See Clearly Now: Using Active Visualisation to Improve Adherence to ART and PrEP

Non-adherence remains a perplexing issue in HIV treatment. After decades of research supporting the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy, non-adherence to medication remains an important issue. For patients who are non-adherent to anti-retroviral therapy (ART), there appears to be a mismatch between their model of illness and the necessity for ART treatment. We propose that ‘active visualisation’ is a technique that could be utilised to improve understanding of treatment and subsequently adherence for both individuals living with HIV and those at-risk of infection. We discuss the theoretical background and highlight the initial evidence suggesting the utility of active visualisation. We then discuss how active visualisation could be utilised in a live demonstration to improve adherence to ART and pre-exposure prophylaxis medications.