Experience of People Living with HIV Working as Caregivers for AIDS Patients.

Kim,  Jiyoung; Shin,  Gisoo; Park,  Young Mi; Lim,  Eun Ju; Nam,  Hyun A

doi:2011.20.4.334

J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs > Volume 20(4); 2011 > Article

Original Article

Journal of Korean Academy of psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 2011;20(4):334-344.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2011.20.4.334 Published online December 31, 2011.

Experience of People Living with HIV Working as Caregivers for AIDS Patients.

Jiyoung Kim, Gisoo Shin, Young Mi Park, Eun Ju Lim, Hyun A Nam

¹Assistant Professor, Red Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Korea. kimjy@cau.ac.kr
²Professor, Red Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to investigate in-depth and to understand the experience of people living with HIV who work as caregivers for patients with AIDS. METHODS: Data were collected from December 2010 to April 2011 through focus group and in-depth interviews. Ten people with HIV who work as caregivers for patients with AIDS participated in the research. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method (1978). RESULTS: The results showed the important themes to be 'feelings of sympathy', 'burden of caregiving', 'identifying one's own self-worth' and 'hoping for a meaningful future'. People with HIV experienced deep empathy with patients with AIDS, and, even though they suffered physical and emotional distress from the caregiving process, they felt a sense of self-worth and found their existence connected with the world. Furthermore, they were taking more active care of themselves and hoping for a meaningful future. CONCLUSION: For successful social adaptation of people with HIV currently in job-seeking activities, various vocational rehabilitation services are necessary. The results of this study could be used in developing effective social support services for people living with HIV attempting workforce re-entry.

Key Words: HIV/AIDS; Caregivers; Experience; Vocational rehabilitation; Qualitative research