Pill]. [Interviewer question: Why do you say that you could get it at any time?] As long as you have a “mpango wa kando” [Interviewer note: This means an extra sexual partner], that is it. And, also being that I am here and my husband works outside, I may not know how he is, and those are what made it easy for me [to take the study pill]. (Bondo, high group) Participants’ narratives about being motivated to adhere to the study pill so that they could reduce their HIV risk, as well as other similar statements made in the interviews (such as reasons for joining FEM-PrEP), suggested that some participants may have had preventive misconceptions about the study pill. After JWH-133 biological activity further analysis of the data, we found evidence that all participants had a general understanding of the purpose of the trial; all but five AMG9810 web described that participants could have been assigned either FTC/TDF or placebo. (The remaining five participants were not asked questions about the placebo, but all described that the trial was testing FTC/TDF for HIV prevention). Yet, narratives from seven participants (58 ) in the high group and six (33 ) in the moderate group who said they adhered to the study pill to reduce their HIV risk provided evidence, or probable evidence, of preventive misconception. Statements from these participants suggested that they believed the study pill would protect them from HIV, although their reasons for these beliefs varied. A few participants fpsyg.2014.00822 in the moderate group (n = 3) simply stated that they were motivated to adhere to the study pill so they could be protected from HIV; no or few additional explanations were given: That’s what made me happy. . .I was tested when I went there [i.e., FEM-PrEP clinic], and given drugs so that they protect me. [Interviewer question: Protect you to do what?] So that I don’t get infected with HIV/AIDS. (Bondo, moderate group) For others (n = 10), however, their rationales for feeling protected from HIV and for believing–or hoping–they were assigned FTC/TDF were more nuanced. Explanations from somePLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0125458 April 13,9 /Facilitators of Study Pill Adherence in FEM-PrEPparticipants (n = 4) were grounded in the belief that if FTC/TDF is proven effective for HIV prevention, they would have been protected: I wanted to see the results. . .because I knew that it was going to work. And who knows that I might just be one of the victims who [might] get sick [i.e., HIV]. And if it could prevent, maybe I would be the first person to see that. (Pretoria, high group) Some participants’ narratives (n = 6) described that certain events, such as having multiple HIV-negative tests (n = 3) or side effects (n = 1), were evidence that they were assigned FTC/ TDF. For example, one participant who adhered well described a combination of hope and perceived evidence as motivation: I was taking it because I had hoped that sometimes it could protect me because you know some time back my husband was found to be HIV-positive though he did not tell me. . .Because when I heard that it could protect me from getting HIV I got encouraged. . .I was taking this pill. I was protected. I did not get HIV. That is why it was easy for me to take my pills daily. I was also tested every month and I knew my HIV status and so this encouraged me more to take my pills daily. I knew it was working because I did not ever get HIV from my husband. (Bondo, high group) Similarly, two of these participants described that over time t.Pill]. [Interviewer question: Why do you say that you could get it at any time?] As long as you have a “mpango wa kando” [Interviewer note: This means an extra sexual partner], that is it. And, also being that I am here and my husband works outside, I may not know how he is, and those are what made it easy for me [to take the study pill]. (Bondo, high group) Participants’ narratives about being motivated to adhere to the study pill so that they could reduce their HIV risk, as well as other similar statements made in the interviews (such as reasons for joining FEM-PrEP), suggested that some participants may have had preventive misconceptions about the study pill. After further analysis of the data, we found evidence that all participants had a general understanding of the purpose of the trial; all but five described that participants could have been assigned either FTC/TDF or placebo. (The remaining five participants were not asked questions about the placebo, but all described that the trial was testing FTC/TDF for HIV prevention). Yet, narratives from seven participants (58 ) in the high group and six (33 ) in the moderate group who said they adhered to the study pill to reduce their HIV risk provided evidence, or probable evidence, of preventive misconception. Statements from these participants suggested that they believed the study pill would protect them from HIV, although their reasons for these beliefs varied. A few participants fpsyg.2014.00822 in the moderate group (n = 3) simply stated that they were motivated to adhere to the study pill so they could be protected from HIV; no or few additional explanations were given: That’s what made me happy. . .I was tested when I went there [i.e., FEM-PrEP clinic], and given drugs so that they protect me. [Interviewer question: Protect you to do what?] So that I don’t get infected with HIV/AIDS. (Bondo, moderate group) For others (n = 10), however, their rationales for feeling protected from HIV and for believing–or hoping–they were assigned FTC/TDF were more nuanced. Explanations from somePLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0125458 April 13,9 /Facilitators of Study Pill Adherence in FEM-PrEPparticipants (n = 4) were grounded in the belief that if FTC/TDF is proven effective for HIV prevention, they would have been protected: I wanted to see the results. . .because I knew that it was going to work. And who knows that I might just be one of the victims who [might] get sick [i.e., HIV]. And if it could prevent, maybe I would be the first person to see that. (Pretoria, high group) Some participants’ narratives (n = 6) described that certain events, such as having multiple HIV-negative tests (n = 3) or side effects (n = 1), were evidence that they were assigned FTC/ TDF. For example, one participant who adhered well described a combination of hope and perceived evidence as motivation: I was taking it because I had hoped that sometimes it could protect me because you know some time back my husband was found to be HIV-positive though he did not tell me. . .Because when I heard that it could protect me from getting HIV I got encouraged. . .I was taking this pill. I was protected. I did not get HIV. That is why it was easy for me to take my pills daily. I was also tested every month and I knew my HIV status and so this encouraged me more to take my pills daily. I knew it was working because I did not ever get HIV from my husband. (Bondo, high group) Similarly, two of these participants described that over time t.