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Qualitative
Women with HIV/AIDS described several forms of positive change resulting from their illness

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebn.4.4.126

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    Siegel K, Schrimshaw EW.Perceiving benefits in adversity: stress-related growth in women living with HIV/AIDS.Soc Sci Med2000 Nov;51:1543–54

    QUESTION: What are the perceptions of illness related positive change among women living with HIV/AIDS?

    Design

    Qualitative study.

    Setting

    New York City, New York, USA.

    Patients

    54 women (mean age 36 y) were recruited through advertisements, flyers, and community outreach to health, social, and advocacy organisations. Inclusion criteria were HIV antibody seropositivity or diagnosis of AIDS; residence in metropolitan New York City; if Hispanic, were Puerto Rican (of any race) and living on the mainland for ≥4 years, or if African-American or white, were native born and non-Hispanic; and no IV drug use in the previous 6 months. 18 were African-American, 19 were non-Hispanic white, and 17 were Puerto Rican. 56% had AIDS, 23% were symptomatic, and 21% were asymptomatic.

    Methods

    Women participated in 2 semistructured interviews within a 1 month period, with each session lasting about 2 hours. Interviews began with a general question about changes because of HIV/AIDS, and then specific changes in behaviour, relationships, spirituality, goals, and how the …

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    Footnotes

    • Source of funding: National Institute for Mental Health.

    • For correspondence: Dr K Siegel, Center for the Psychosocial Study of Health and Illness, Joseph L Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 100 Haven Avenue Suite 6A, New York, NY 10032, USA. Fax +1 212 304 7268.