Bodies in mutation: understanding lipodystrophy among women living with HIV/AIDS

Over the past decade, the lipodystrophy syndrome has become one of the biggest challenges in the field dof HIV/AIDS. However, few qualitative studies have examined how lipodystrophy affects the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS by reconfiguring their bodies in unexpected ways. The main objective of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the transformation process that women experience following the onset of lipodystrophy. The data was collected using semistructured interviews and was then analyzed following the principles of grounded theory. The purpose of this article is to synthesize our research findings with a particular emphasis on the basis social process (BSP) that emerged during the data analysis, namely, the bodily transformation process. Our objective is to highlight the experiences shared by women who go through this bodily transformation process and the challenges they face as they move progressively from one bodily state to another. Following the presentation of the bodily transformation process, we will discuss the implications of our findings for the advancement of nursing knowledge as well as the development of theories specific to the situations of people who suffer from chronic conditions and undergo a physical transformation as a result of medical treatment. Lastly, we will address the implications of our findings for nursing research and nursing practice.