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Self-Care Behaviors of African American Women Living With HIV: A Qualitative Perspective

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jana.2009.07.006Get rights and content

Significant numbers of African American (AA) women have been diagnosed with HIV over the past decade. HIV may be viewed as a chronic condition that can be actively managed through the use of self-care behaviors, yet little is known about how these women define self-care (SC) for themselves, and still less is known about what facilitates and hinders SC behaviors among these women. This article highlights the results of a qualitative research study undertaken with AA women living with HIV in a metropolitan city in the southeastern United States. The objective of this study was to systematically collect data about the SC experiences of these women. Focus group methodology was used. Content analysis of the data was conducted. Two primary domains emerged: do what the doctor says and living healthy. SC activities included seeking social support, managing disclosure, engaging in pampering, taking part in religious customs, and maintaining recovery.

Section snippets

HIV and African American Women

Of the 33 million people living with HIV (PLWH) globally in 2007, an estimated 50% were women (Avert International AIDS Charity, n.d.). In the United States, approximately 56,300 new cases of HIV occurred in 2006 (Hall et al., 2008). Of these new cases of HIV, some 30% occurred in women. Although substantial numbers of women contract HIV secondary to injection drug use (26%), more than 70% of women who contract HIV do so via heterosexual contact because of considerable exposure of mucosal

Design

A single-category design was used to conduct focus groups (Krueger & Casey, 2000). Single-category design provided an opportunity to explore the specific unit of analysis in one particular group rather than comparing across different groups. This was important because SC behaviors are influenced by gender, ethnic, racial, and cultural factors (Becker et al., 2004, Chou, 2004, Coleman et al., 2006). It was important to specifically compare AA women who were living with HIV because they have a

Results

The sample consisted of 21 women who attended one of five focus groups. The age of these women ranged from 29 to 61 years of age, with a mean age of 43.9 years. The women all self-identified as AA and reported residing in a metropolitan area in the southeastern United States. All women were infected with HIV, and none reported having been diagnosed with AIDS. The mean length of time since diagnosis with HIV was 8.1 years (mode = 6 years). A total of 81% of the women had children, and 19% had

Discussion

SC behaviors are integral to the successful management of chronic health conditions. With the advent of effective treatment regimens, HIV has joined the ranks of chronic health conditions. This qualitative study provides valuable insight into the SC behaviors of AA women living with HIV.

Conclusion

Self-management of chronic health conditions is an important component of any comprehensive HIV care and treatment plan. These AA women living with HIV articulated that SC behaviors were a valuable component of their individual goals of regaining and maintaining their health. Striving to put personal health first, adhering to medical regimens, seeking social support, managing disclosure, engaging in pampering, taking part in spiritual customs, and maintaining recovery were all components of SC

Kimberly Adams Tufts, DNP, WHNP-BC, FAAN, is associate professor, Old Dominion University School of Nursing, Norfolk, Virginia.

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    Kimberly Adams Tufts, DNP, WHNP-BC, FAAN, is associate professor, Old Dominion University School of Nursing, Norfolk, Virginia.

    Judy Wessell, APRN, BC, AACRN, AAHIVMS, is a nurse practitioner, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk.

    Tanya Kearney, MPA, is Director, HIV/AIDS Resource Center, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk.

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