[HIV/aids care according to the perspective of healthcare providers]

The present study aimed to understand the care provided to patients with HIV/AIDS in Portugal according to the healthcare providers' perspective. Thompson's method of oral history was used in the study, which included 22 healthcare providers. The data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews and were analyzed from the narrative compilation perspective formulated by the author using QSR Nvivo software. The study complied with the ethical precepts for research. Care was analyzed according to three dimensions: cognitive, affective-relational, and technical-instrumental. The participants attributed particular relevance to the cognitive dimension in association with the moment when the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS was established, as well as throughout the course of disease. The affective-relational dimension was cross-sectional and considered to be valuable throughout the course of the disease from its diagnosis to the death of the patients with HIV/AIDS. The technical-instrumental dimension was more expressive in the advanced stages of the disease, in patients suffering from addiction and in terminal illness. As a function of the results, we can conclude that the three investigated dimensions are highly relevant for the care of patients with HIV/AIDS.