Social representations about aids in people over 50, infected by HIV
Brasileiro, M.; Freitas, M.Imaculada.de.Fátima.
Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem 14(5): 789-795
2006
ISSN/ISBN: 0104-1169 PMID: 17117267 Document Number: 563984
A qualitative study was conducted to analyse the social representations of 9 HIV/AIDS patients older than 50 years old (4 women and 5 men) hospitalized in a public hospital in Goiania, Goias, Brazil, between August and December 2003. Data were obtained through face-to-face interviews. All patients were poor and had not finished education. The lives of HIV/AIDS patients were difficult and complex with many limitations imposed on their families and social life. Analysis revealed that the presence of death as a constant threat to AIDS patients concentrated all other representations about the disease and its treatment. The life situation of HIV-infected patients over 50 years old was based on social isolation, fear of being discriminated due to their HIV status or old age, lack of work and concrete perspectives in daily life, difficulties to maintain treatment, and mistrust towards health professionals among others. The underlying representations indicate that much remains to be done to change the common and imaginary sense that goes against civil rights and possibilities of a concrete improvement in the quality of life of these people. This requires the elaboration of actions that are not restricted to drug treatment but involve multiprofessional and multisectoral activities that can alleviate the problems experienced by the infected patients and their families, leading to the reconstruction of representations and change of negative attitudes such as rejection, prejudice and abandonment.