Understanding the psychosocial needs of HIV-positive women: a qualitative study

The purpose of this study was to engage women with HIV disease in a qualitative needs assessment for psychological services. Focus groups/interviews were held to develop an understanding of these women's experiences and perceptions of services needed within a support group format. Results support women's interest in and perceived need for psychosocial group intervention and provide feedback on how to structure groups, including considerations for the facilitator, concrete barriers to address, and attention to group attributes and guidelines. These results support ongoing development of psychosocial support groups for women with HIV disease and further exploration of the efficacy of group models for the diverse subgroups of women with HIV/AIDS.