{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T21:22:28Z","timestamp":1790198548397,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774396800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Adolescents and young people living with HIV experience significant challenges, including unmet psychosocial and self-management needs and limited access to adequate HIV information. Peer support strategies that allow individuals to share their personal experiences and life stories have shown promise in improving their engagement in care and addressing the psychological and social challenges of living with HIV. However, current care approaches do not optimize individual life stories as a foundation for delivering patient-centered and individualized care.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study applied a story path approach, an innovative way of exploring the experiences of adolescents and young people living with HIV. Specifically, it aimed to identify the high points, low points, and turning points in the health journeys of adolescents and young people living with HIV. This descriptive qualitative study was conducted in 2024. Data were collected through face-to-face individual interviews with adolescents and young people living with HIV and analyzed manually.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Fifteen participants, aged 15\u201324 years (average age 21.4, SD 2.4), were interviewed. The findings revealed that participants experienced uplifting from social support provided by friends, family, school authorities, and peers. Despite this support, many participants experienced emotional distress, faced challenges with medication adherence, and struggled with suicidal ideation. Counseling was a vital turning point in helping nearly all participants improve their health trajectories.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Story theory provides a valuable framework for understanding the health experiences of adolescents and young people living with HIV and for delivering care that is tailored to their unique individual narratives. These findings may be useful to nurses, counselors, and peer supporters involved in the care of this population. Future research should explore ways to integrate story theory into adolescent HIV care services to improve health outcomes for adolescents and young people living with HIV.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0345499","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T17:44:34Z","timestamp":1774460674000},"page":"e0345499","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Crests, troughs, and plateaus: Using story theory to explore the experiences of adolescents and young people living with HIV in Kampala, Uganda"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"given":"Derrick","family":"Nuwahereza","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Allen","family":"Nabisere","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-4068-0180","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Imelda","family":"Namatovu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tom Denis","family":"Ngabirano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2394-4445","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Charles Peter","family":"Osingada","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0345499.ref001","year":"2024"},{"key":"pone.0345499.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2843","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.p2843","article-title":"Sub-Saharan Africa registers biggest declines in AIDS infections, says UNAIDS","volume":"383","author":"H Wasswa","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"pone.0345499.ref003","unstructured":"The Uganda Aids Commission. Facts on HIV and AIDS in Uganda. 2023."},{"key":"pone.0345499.ref004","unstructured":"The Uganda Aids Commision. Annual joint AIDS review report. 2023."},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0345499.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(19)30526-1","article-title":"Effect of a differentiated service delivery model on virological failure in adolescents with HIV in Zimbabwe (Zvandiri): A cluster-randomised controlled trial","volume":"8","author":"W Mavhu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet Glob Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0345499.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0261948","article-title":"\u201cIt must start with me, so it started with me\u201d: A qualitative study of Project YES! youth peer mentor implementing experiences supporting adolescents and young adults living with HIV in Ndola, Zambia","volume":"17","author":"VM Burke","year":"2022","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0345499.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"467","DOI":"10.1007\/s11904-019-00470-5","article-title":"Peer Support for Adolescents and Young People Living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: Emerging Insights and a Methodological Agenda","volume":"16","author":"D Mark","year":"2019","journal-title":"Curr HIV\/AIDS Rep"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0345499.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1097\/ANS.0000000000000303","article-title":"Claiming the narrative wave with story theory","volume":"43","author":"P Liehr","year":"2020","journal-title":"ANS Adv Nurs Sci"},{"key":"pone.0345499.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.1891\/9780826139276.0011","article-title":"Story theory","volume-title":"Middle range theory nursing","author":"MJ Smith","year":"2023","edition":"5"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0345499.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"334","DOI":"10.1002\/1098-240X(200008)23:4<334::AID-NUR9>3.0.CO;2-G","article-title":"Focus on research methods: Whatever happened to qualitative description?","volume":"23","author":"M Sandelowski","year":"2000","journal-title":"Res Nurs Heal"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0345499.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1080\/13814788.2017.1375091","article-title":"Series: Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 3: Sampling, data collection and analysis","volume":"24","author":"A Moser","year":"2018","journal-title":"Eur J Gen Pract"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0345499.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-019-6447-4","article-title":"Effectiveness of community adolescent treatment supporters (CATS) interventions in improving linkage and retention in care, adherence to ART and psychosocial well-being: A randomised trial among adolescents living with HIV in rural Zimbabwe","volume":"19","author":"N Willis","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0345499.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.1080\/17450128.2019.1576960","article-title":"Examining the relationship of social support and family cohesion on ART adherence among HIV-positive adolescents in southern Uganda: Baseline findings","volume":"14","author":"C Damulira","year":"2019","journal-title":"Vulnerable Child Youth Stud"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0345499.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"492","DOI":"10.1097\/JNC.0000000000000325","article-title":"Does type of social support influence medication adherence among south african adolescents living with HIV? A quantitative analysis of pilot data","volume":"33","author":"VF Malo","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0345499.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"86","DOI":"10.1080\/17450128.2020.1842954","article-title":"Social support, gender and pill burden influence viral load suppression among HIV-infected adolescents and young adults in rural south-western Uganda","volume":"16","author":"WE Brown","year":"2021","journal-title":"Vulnerable Child Youth Stud"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0345499.ref016","first-page":"1","article-title":"Project YES! Youth Engaging for Success: A randomized controlled trial assessing the impact of a clinic-based peer mentoring program on viral suppression, adherence and internalized stigma among HIV-positive youth (15-24 years) in Ndola, Zambia","volume":"15","author":"JA Denison","year":"2020","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0345499.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"82","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2018.10.102","article-title":"Suicidal thoughts and behaviour among South African adolescents living with HIV: Can social support buffer the impact of stigma?","volume":"245","author":"M Casale","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Affect Disord"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0345499.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"54","DOI":"10.2989\/16085906.2023.2186252","article-title":"Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide\/self-injury in adolescents and young adults living with HIV in Botswana","volume":"22","author":"M Brooks","year":"2023","journal-title":"Afr J AIDS Res"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0345499.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1004","DOI":"10.1007\/s10461-024-04581-y","article-title":"Reported suicide attempts among adolescents in Uganda: Differences by HIV status","volume":"29","author":"A Nanteza","year":"2025","journal-title":"AIDS Behav"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0345499.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"62","DOI":"10.1186\/s13034-022-00492-9","article-title":"Depression and suicidal behavior among adolescents living with HIV in Botswana: A cross-sectional study","volume":"16","author":"AA Olashore","year":"2022","journal-title":"Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health"},{"key":"pone.0345499.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1392872","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1392872","article-title":"Prevalence of mental disorders among young people living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"12","author":"S Zhan","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0345499.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"625","DOI":"10.1080\/095401200750003806","article-title":"Counsellors\u2019 perspectives on the experience of providing HIV counselling in Kenya and Tanzania: the Voluntary HIV-1 Counselling and Testing Efficacy Study","volume":"12","author":"OA Grinstead","year":"2000","journal-title":"AIDS Care"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0345499.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1521\/aeap.1997.9.2.125","article-title":"HIV counseling for behavior change","volume":"9","author":"OA Grinstead","year":"1997","journal-title":"AIDS Educ Prev"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0345499","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T17:44:40Z","timestamp":1774460680000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0345499"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Anthony A.","family":"Olashore","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]]},"references-count":23,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0345499","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]]}}}