Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine the personal risk perception and behaviour in relation to the risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in a cohort of South African individuals living with HIV.

Relevance:Individuals living with HIV are said to be at a high risk of developing IHD due to increased longevity, treatment specific causes and virus effects. It is therefore important to determine if individuals’ perceive themselves at risk for IHD and if their behaviour increase their risk as this information will inform clinical practice to enable tailored education programmes.

Participants: Thirty individuals living with HIV on HAART for six to twelve months attending an outpatient HIV clinic in Johannesburg South Africa was purposefully sampled.

Methods: A qualitative study design using a semi-structured interview approach was used to gather the data. Individual interviews were held in a private room in the clinic and interviews were tape-recorded for transcription. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire.

Analysis: An inductive approach to data analysis was followed during the study using conventional content analysis. Demographic details of participants were analysed with descriptive data analysis.

Results: The demographic details of participants were: median age 36.5 (31.8 – 45.0) years; women (n = 25; 83.3%) and men (n = 5; 16.7%); the majority of participants (n = 16; 53.3%) had a secondary school education, were employed (n = 17; 56.7%) and were supporting dependents (n = 26; 86.7%). Knowledge and understanding related to IHD and insight into own risk for IHD were identified as two prominent themes. An important finding that the study highlighted was that participants did not perceive themselves to be at risk of IHD due to being HIV⁺ or using HAART in anyway. The majority of participants (n = 15: 50%) did not perceive themselves to be at risk for IHD due to reporting having adequate coping behaviour and living a healthy lifestyle. Twelve (40%) participants did however due to physical symptoms experienced and their behaviour consisting of a poor diet, elevated stress levels and lack of exercise. Three (10%) participants were unsure.

Conclusion: This study confirmed that an optimistic bias in individuals living with HIV is present regarding their future possibility for developing IHD. Education strategies related to how weight, hypertension and a high salt diet influence one’s risk for IHD are required in individuals living with HIV to inform their personal risk perception for IHD.

Implications: Considering the potential burden of IHD on the economy of South Africa, the focus of physiotherapists should be on the prevention of risk factors of IHD through effective education and implementation of physical activity modification programmes following screening of individuals.

Key words: Ischaemic heart disease, risk perception

Ethics approval: University of the Witwatersrand Ethics clearance certificate (M10238) received.