Struggles and resilience of African American women living with HIV or AIDS: A qualitative study

Abstract

Summary

This qualitative study analyzed the responses of African American women living with an HIV or AIDS diagnosis for 10 years or longer who were participants in an ongoing support group. Ten women with a mean age of 48.2 years were interviewed to describe their personal stories of HIV infection and to explore what led them to ultimately accept their diagnosis. The main focus of the study was to understand their strengths and resilience in enduring the burden of HIV or AIDS status.

Findings

The findings yielded a preliminary conceptual understanding similar to the Kubler-Ross stages of grief, including shock, anger, devastation, depression, denial, and acceptance. The women did not follow those stages in a linear fashion, but their strength carried them toward accepting their infection status. The participants described their sources of support and hopes for their future lives.

Applications

Social workers and other practitioners can gain a deeper understanding of the struggles, resilience for survival, and hope demonstrated by the participants in their experience with HIV and AIDS. The women’s suggestions for strategies of maintaining a positive outlook and achieving personal growth should be noted as helpful social work interventions not only for African American women but also women of other racial and ethnic groups living with HIV and AIDS. Additionally, other researchers may explore the preliminary conceptual understanding of stages toward acceptance yielded in this study with other groups of women living with HIV and AIDS.