Living with AIDS

Teguis, Alexandra; Ahmed, Paul I.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-2347-9_1

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Gay men living with HIV/AIDS typically experience losses in their relationships with family and friends, resulting in varying degrees of isolation (Cadwell, 1994;Tegusi & Ahmed, 1992). Thus, programs designed to foster the development of relationships need to be a key component of treatment.…”

Section: Peer Support Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation of gay men's experiences with HIV counselling and peer support services

HarrisGregory

AldersonKevin

2007

Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health

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Although the length and quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS has improved dramatically in recent years because of antiretroviral medications, these individuals still need to make significant psychosocial adjustments in order to improve their quality of life and the HIV trajectory. Mental health professionals can play an important role in this process. The present study investigated the experiences of 12 gay men living with HIV or AIDS who received counselling and peer support services. The findings are drawn from a larger phenomenological study that explored participants' experiences of receiving counselling and peer support services. This paper offers a description of these services and the participants' reactions. The authors report several important considerations for mental health professionals in relation to counselling and peer support programs.Thousands of people in Canada live with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS); the numbers are increasing (Health Canada, 2003;Siushansian, Nguyen, & Archibald, 2000), and there is no cure. In particular, men who have sex with men are overrepresented within HIV prevalence statistics, with this group accounting for 51% of reported cases in 2005 (Boulos, Yan, Schanzer, Remis, & Archibald, 2006). In addition, gay men and men who have sex with men are often faced with several unique issues such as extra stigmatization, externalized and internalized homophobia, and identity issues associated with sexual orientation and HIV (Alderson, 2000;Cadwell, 1994). Recent pharmaceutical advances have created antiretroviral treatments, sometimes referred to as the "AIDS cocktail" (Wong-Staal, 1997). These new treatments have significantly improved the length and quality of life for people infected with HIV by delaying the onset of AIDS through inhibiting viral replication. The effectiveness of these new HIV treatments means that the work of therapists as well as other health and social service professionals has changed from helping people through the process of dying of AIDS-related complexes to helping people live with HIV.With HIV infections increasing throughout the world and with the increased longevity resulting from medical advances, therapists and mental health professionals will continue to be called upon to

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Section: Peer Support Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation of gay men's experiences with HIV counselling and peer support services

HarrisGregory

AldersonKevin

2007

Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health

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“…The result of perceiving AIDS as the adversary is to consider positive people as casualties and victims, exacerbating a sense of hopelessness and impotency. Victims are placed on a continuum of 'innocence' or 'guilt', which determines their worthiness of our compassion, and of deservedness or non-deservedness of the disease (Teguis and Ahmed 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The healthcare system in HIV/AIDS: an inextricable component in the experience of family care

D’Cruz

2008

Critical Public Health

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Through a phenomenological study following van Manen's approach, family care experiences of caregivers and care receivers in the context of HIV/AIDS were studied in Mumbai, India. Data gathered through conversational interviews were analysed using the holistic and highlighting approaches. Interactions with the formal healthcare system contributed to the essential meaning of participants' experiences even though the context of care was primarily familial. These interactions included instances of violations of testing and confidentiality guidelines and refusals to provide treatment in the private and some public health centres, and the provision of instrumental and affective support by the voluntary sector. The poor quality of care at public sector hospitals serving HIV-positive individuals was also described. The paper makes recommendations for improving the interventions of the healthcare system since experiences here are linked to the overall subjective experience of caregiving and care receiving.

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“…Thus, the language used to talk about HIV/AIDS focuses on people dying from AIDS rather than on people living with HIV (Crystal & Jackson, 1992). This in turn creates a sense of self that is impotent, helpless and hopeless (Tegius & Ahmed, 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%