ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To analyze women's perceptions and coping regarding the discovery of an HIV infection. METHODS A qualitative study in an HIV/AIDS Specialist Helpdesk in Recife, PE, Northeastern Brazil, from January to September 2010, involving eight women living with asymptomatic HIV aged between 27 and 37 years, without criteria for diagnosis of AIDS infected through intercourse and monitored by the service for at least one year. Forms were used to characterize the clinical situation and semi-structured interviews to understand perceptions and feelings related to personal trajectory after diagnosis and different ways of facing the diagnosis in family and social life. Content analysis was performed as suggested by Bardin. RESULTS The thematic category that emerged was stigma and discrimination. The women had life trajectories marked by stigma, which was perceived as discrimination after the diagnosis and in the experiences of everyday life. The revelation of the infection was perceived as limiting to a normal life, leading to the need to conceal the diagnosis. The discriminatory attitudes of some health care professionals, non-specialist in HIV/AIDS, had a negative impact on future experiences in other health services. Besides the effects of institutional stigma, the perception of women was that the service did not include dedicated space for the expression of other needs beyond the disease, which could help in fighting the infection. CONCLUSIONS Living with HIV was strongly linked to stigma. The results show the importance of strengthening educational approaches and emotional support at the time of diagnosis in order to facilitate coping with the condition of seropositivity.
Subject(s)
HIV Infections/psychology , Prejudice , Social Stigma , Adult , Attitude of Health Personnel , Attitude to Health , Family Relations , Female , Humans , Qualitative Research , Socioeconomic Factors , Women's HealthABSTRACT
OBJETIVO Analisar o enfrentamento e as percepções das mulheres em relação à descoberta da infecção pelo HIV. MÉTODOS Estudo qualitativo em Serviço de Assistência Especializada em HIV/aids em Recife, PE, de janeiro a setembro de 2010. Participaram oito mulheres entre 27 e 37 anos de idade vivendo com HIV, assintomáticas, sem critérios de diagnóstico de aids, infectadas por meio de relação sexual, e acompanhadas no serviço há pelo menos um ano. Foram utilizados formulário para caracterizar o quadro clínico e entrevista semiestruturada para compreender as percepções e sentimentos relacionados à trajetória pessoal após o diagnóstico e as diferentes maneiras de enfrentar o diagnóstico no meio familiar e social. Foi realizada análise de conteúdo na modalidade temática segundo Bardin. RESULTADOS A categoria temática emergente foi estigma e discriminação. As mulheres apresentavam trajetórias de vida marcadas pelo estigma, percebido como discriminação desde o diagnóstico e nas vivências do cotidiano. A revelação da infecção foi sentida como limitante para uma vida normal, levando à necessidade de ocultação do diagnóstico. As posturas discriminatórias por parte de alguns profissionais dos serviços de saúde não especializados em HIV/aids repercutiram negativamente nas experiências futuras em outros serviços de saúde. Além dos efeitos do estigma institucional, o serviço especializado não contemplou espaço para a expressão de outras necessidades para além da doença, o que poderia ajudar no enfrentamento da infecção. CONCLUSÕES A convivência com o HIV esteve fortemente ligada ao estigma. É importante fortalecer as abordagens educativas ...
OBJETIVO Analizar el enfrentamiento y las percepciones de las mujeres con relación a la descubierta de la infección por VIH. MÉTODOS Estudio cualitativo en Servicio de Asistencia Especializada en VIH/sida en Recife, PE – Brasil, de enero a septiembre de 2010. Participaron ocho mujeres entre 27 y 37 años de edad viviendo con VIH, asintomáticas, sin criterios de diagnóstico de sida, infectadas por medio de relación sexual, y acompañadas en el servicio por al menos un año. Se utilizó formulario para caracterizar el cuadro clínico y se aplicó entrevista semi-estructurada para comprender las percepciones y sentimientos relacionados con la trayectoria personal luego del diagnóstico y, las diferentes maneras de enfrentar el diagnóstico en el medio familiar y social. Se realizó análisis de contenido en la modalidad temática según Bardin. RESULTADOS La categoría temática emergente fue estigma y discriminación. Las mujeres presentaban trayectorias de vida marcadas por el estigma, percibido como discriminación desde el diagnóstico y en las vivencias de lo cotidiano. La revelación de la infección fue sentida como limitante para una vida normal, llevando a la necesidad de ocultar el diagnóstico. Las posturas discriminatorias por parte de algunos profesionales de los servicios de salud no especializados en VIH/sida afectaron negativamente las experiencias futuras en otros servicios de salud. Además de los efectos de estigma institucional, el servicio especializado no contempló espacio para la expresión de otras necesidades más allá de la enfermedad, lo que podría ayudar en el enfrentamiento de la infección. CONCLUSIONES La convivencia con el VIH estuvo fuertemente unida al estigma. Es importante fortalecer los abordajes educativos y el apoyo emocional en el momento del diagnóstico ...
OBJECTIVE To analyze women’s perceptions and coping regarding the discovery of an HIV infection. METHODS A qualitative study in an HIV/AIDS Specialist Helpdesk in Recife, PE, Northeastern Brazil, from January to September 2010, involving eight women living with asymptomatic HIV aged between 27 and 37 years, without criteria for diagnosis of AIDS infected through intercourse and monitored by the service for at least one year. Forms were used to characterize the clinical situation and semi-structured interviews to understand perceptions and feelings related to personal trajectory after diagnosis and different ways of facing the diagnosis in family and social life. Content analysis was performed as suggested by Bardin. RESULTS The thematic category that emerged was stigma and discrimination. The women had life trajectories marked by stigma, which was perceived as discrimination after the diagnosis and in the experiences of everyday life. The revelation of the infection was perceived as limiting to a normal life, leading to the need to conceal the diagnosis. The discriminatory attitudes of some health care professionals, non-specialist in HIV/AIDS, had a negative impact on future experiences in other health services. Besides the effects of institutional stigma, the perception of women was that the service did not include dedicated space for the expression of other needs beyond the disease, which could help in fighting the infection. CONCLUSIONS Living with HIV was strongly linked to stigma. The results show the importance of strengthening educational approaches and emotional support at the time of diagnosis in order to facilitate coping with the condition of seropositivity. .