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[Persons living with HIV: stress and their way of facing the disease]
Insights
This study on men with HIV/AIDS reveals significant stress from social changes, loss, and fear of death. Coping mechanisms include avoidance and forced happiness, highlighting the need for professional support.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) significantly impact individuals' lives.
- Stress is a recognized factor affecting the well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the influence of stress on the daily lives of men living with HIV/AIDS.
- To understand the specific stressors and coping mechanisms employed by this population.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with eleven HIV-positive men.
- Data collection focused on lived experiences of stress and daily life challenges.
Main Results:
- Participants reported significant stressors including social and sexual changes, material losses, loneliness, and fear of mortality.
- Observed coping strategies included reality escape, excessive happiness seeking, and illness denial.
Conclusions:
- Individuals with HIV/AIDS require better preparation to manage stress.
- Effective intervention strategies from health professionals are crucial for addressing the psychosocial needs of people living with HIV/AIDS.
Abstract:
A study about the stress influence in the life of people with the HIV/AIDS positive was carried out with eleven HIV positive men in order to analyse the stress and the daily life of HIV people. Using interviews as a way to collect data, we found that many of these individuals had been submitted to stress situations such as: social and sexual changes, material losses, loneliness and fear of dying. The ways of facing up these situations were escaping from reality, being happy at all costs and trying to forget the illness. We concluded that there is a need to prepare them to face the stress, and also for an effective intervention from the health professionals in this question.