Sharing the burden: The experiences of HIV psychiatrists delivering primary palliative care

People living with HIV experience an elevated risk of serious medical illnesses as they age, but access palliative care (PC) at lower rates than individuals without HIV. HIV psychiatrists provide longitudinal psychosocial care to individuals living with HIV. As such, HIV psychiatrists can play an important role in providing PC to people living with HIV (PLWH). This qualitative study was conducted to explore the perspectives and experiences of HIV psychiatrists in addressing the PC of PLWH.

We conducted semi-structured interviews with HIV psychiatrists. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Nineteen HIV psychiatrists were interviewed. Three core themes with several subthemes were identified. These were: (1) lack of an operationalized role for HIV psychiatrists in supporting PC provision, (2) heterogeneity in engagement with PC among HIV psychiatrists, and (3) HIV psychiatrists have valuable skills to address patients' PC needs but also face unique challenges in doing so.

Overall, we found that there is significant heterogeneity in how HIV psychiatrists provide PC. Psychiatrists were interested in engagement with PC but felt their roles and scope were poorly defined. This study points to the possibility for greater integration of HIV psychiatrists in the provision of PC for patients with HIV through improvements in PC training for psychiatrists who work with patients with medical illness and through a more operationalized role and scope of practice in this domain of care.