The aim of this study was to know the meanings attributed by female health professionals to the process of caring for women with HIV, considering their vulnerability in the context of feminization of HIV/AIDS. It is a qualitative study based on the grounded theory method and symbolic interactionism, conducted in two public maternity hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, from November 2009 to April 2010. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews with twelve female health professionals. The core category that emerged was "Speaking as a Professional and Thinking about Caring" which focused on the meaning of care, and the integration of two categories, the first being the concerns of being a woman/professional caring for women with HIV and the second being the meanings of professional care provided to women with the virus. It was concluded that the professionals still maintained the former perception of HIV/AIDS, contributing to increased gender vulnerability to HIV, discrimination and prejudice.

In only a few years, HIV/AIDS became a severe public health problem worldwide. More recently, the phenomenon of feminisation has substantially modified the epidemiological profile of the pandemic. Drawing on Grounded Theory, this qualitative, descriptive study examines the adoption of HIV/AIDS prevention measures and practices by women health professionals. Data were acquired by semi-structured interviews of 12 women working as health professionals providing care for HIV-seropositive women. Analysis of the results showed how, as women, the participants felt safe and protected against HIV in a so-called stable relationship, because they relied on factors such as trust in their companion, and perceived themselves as vulnerable and exposed to the risk of sexual contamination. As health professionals, they revealed concerns relating to care for women with HIV, ranging from speculations about how the women were contaminated, to the sensitivity, as women professionals, to put themselves in the place of the women with HIV and, also as professionals, expressed fear of contamination through accidents with biological material. It was concluded that, despite understanding the importance of adopting self-protective HIV-prevention measures and practices, they admitted the existence of vulnerability from occupational rather than sexual risk, and accordingly deployed protective measures against workplace accidents, but failed to use condoms and thus continued to be exposed to HIV in their sexual relations.

O ambiente físico pode ser responsável pelo desenvolvimento de distúrbios psicológicos, pela desorientação e privação de sono. Somam-se a isso, as implicações decorrentes da internação hospitalar, dentre as quais se destacam o afastamento do doente do convívio do lar, das atividades cotidianas de lazer e laboral, e a introdução de novos hábitos, influenciando diretamente na saúde mental. A terapia de Banho de Sol, caracterizada pela exposição à luz solar, além de aliviar os efeitos emocionais decorrentes do processo de internação hospitalar, contribui para a manutenção dos níveis séricos de vitamina D, responsável pelo metabolismo da insulina, regulação do metabolismo de minerais e do sistema imunológico, cardiovascular e musculoesquelético, e nos níveis séricos melatonina e serotonina, favorecendo, assim, a melhora do estado de humor. Nesta perspetiva, o objetivo geral é refletir sobre os benefícios do banho de sol para pacientes internados. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, qualitativo e reflexivo. Observou-se que as estratégias de Humanização em Saúde são essenciais para a reabilitação e recuperação dos pacientes internados. A literatura ratifica repercussões positivas na saúde física e psíquica através da prática regular do banho de sol. A exposição solar reduz os efeitos psíquicos da internação prolongada e previne inúmeras doenças. Conclui-se que a rotina do Banho de Sol é uma tecnologia leve de cuidado, humanizada, e importante para a adesão ao tratamento. Sendo relevante a disseminação do conhecimento acerca desta estratégia de humanização para a promoção do bem-estar.