Metasynthesis of qualitative research on living with HIV infection

Qualitative studies of people living with HIV infection are crucial for providing direction for practice and research because they provide the emic perspective. As more of these qualitative studies are conducted, researchers are challenged to develop ways to synthesize the findings for research and clinical practice. The purpose of the metasynthesis described in this article was to understand the experience of adults living with HIV infection as described in published research. Findings from the studies were categorized into six overarching metaphors: (a) finding meaning in HIV/AIDS, (b) shattered meaning, (c) human connectedness, (d) focusing on the self, (e) negotiating health care, and (f) dealing with stigma.