Integrating women's perspectives on prenatal human immunodeficiency virus screening: Toward a socially just policy

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to include the voices of laywomen at risk for or living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the ongoing debate on prenatal and newborn HIV screening. A phenomenological approach based on Moustakas's heuristic model was used in order to explore women's lived experience. The investigator interviewed 33 women, half of whom were HIV-positive, using an open-ended, loosely structured interview guide. Two major domains were identified related to the women's views and experiences of HIV testing: the importance of a woman's awareness of her HIV status for both her own and her child's sake, and the need to maintain voluntary choice. Common themes emerging from the stories included paradoxical dimensions of living with the virus, such as fear of death, worry about health, concern over the pandemic itself, and loneliness, interspersed with faith and hope. Implications for health care providers include an enhanced understanding of the impact of the diagnosis, improvement in counseling techniques, and the importance of the establishment of trust.

Despair and hopelessness in the context of HIV – a meta‐synthesis on qualitative research findings

“…Some of the consequences of living with HIV include decreased (Lyketsos et al 1996) or destroyed hope (Ingram & Hutchinson 1999), and despair (Strawn 1995, Hackl et al 1997, Mawn 1998 or hopelessness (van Servellen et al 1996, Hall 1998, Siegel & Meyer 1999 in dealing with a potentially fatal disease. For example, research reports have revealed higher levels of hopelessness in seropositive homosexual men than in comparable seronegatives (Catalan et al 1992a, Catalan & Pugh 1995 and in seropositive men with haemophilia than in comparable men with haemophilia and without HIV (Catalan et al 1992b).…”

“…1996) or destroyed hope (Ingram & Hutchinson 1999), and despair (Strawn 1995, Hackl et al. 1997, Mawn 1998) or hopelessness (van Servellen et al. 1996, Hall 1998, Siegel & Meyer 1999) in dealing with a potentially fatal disease.…”

Worry: Women’s Experience of HIV Testing

“…Health care providers routinely target women for HIV testing during pregnancy to prevent fetal transmission of HIV infection (Mawn, 1998). However, little research has focused on testing during other times in a woman's life despite the rapidly increasing rate of infection in heterosexual women.…”

Hope, despair and hopelessness in living with HIV/AIDS: a grounded theory study

“…Several studies have also shown that depression is common among PLWHs/PLWAs , Judd et al 1997, van Servellen et al 1998a ), and depression has been found to predict hopelessness (Rabkin et al 1990, Morris 1996. Furthermore, research reports the destruction of hope (Ingram & Hutchinson 1999), and both despair (Koskimaa 1993, Strawn 1995, Hackl et al 1997, Mawn 1998) and hopelessness (Govoni 1988, Smith 1991, Catalan et al 1992, Twiname 1993, Wagner et al 1993, Chidwick & Borrill 1996, van Servellen et al 1996 in living with HIV/AIDS.…”