The Experience of People with HIV/AIDS: A Phenomenological Study

Kim, Eun Young; Lee, Myoung Sun

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the experience of people with HIV/AIDS. Three men and three women with HIV/AIDS participated in the study. They were asked open-ended and descriptive questions in order for them to talk about their experience in their own terms. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed to maintain data integrity and to reduce perceptual bias. The transcripts were analyzed by the Colaizzi method. Member checks from the participants were used to validate the emergent themes. Seven themes emerged from the analysis. 1. People with HIV/AIDS have a strong impact and emotional reaction when receiving positive HIV test results. 2. All people with HIV/AIDS attempt to conceal HIV infection because of fear of stigma or rejection. 3. After the initial brief traumatic reaction to HIV/AIDS diagnosis, all participants feel lonely because they had no one to express or share their own experiences. 4. People with HIV/AIDS reflect on their life, think about the death and dying process and they become depressed. 5. Most participants feel that the family members who know his/her diagnosis are a big source of support. 6. According to the normativeness of infection route of HIV, the degree of guilty feeling differs among participants. 7. Although all participants think medication is a lifeline, the adherence to medication is not maintained because of side effects, denial and concealment of HIV/AIDS. The results of this study may help nurses and other health care workers to implement more efficient nursing strategies for people with HIV/AIDS by more deeply understanding their experience.