AIDSImpact.com:: - Santa Fe, USA 2011

Abstract #72 - Hopes, dreams and ambitions: a qualitative investigation into the views and concerns of older HIV+ adolescents about their future challenges and support needs (London, UK)
Authors: Presenting Author: Dr Jayne Griffiths - National Health Service
Additional Authors: Dr. Tomas Campbell, Ms. Becki Wilkins, Ms. Gisele Marinho,
Aim: HIV+ young people are living longer and healthier lives. Previous research indicates that living with HIV presents many challenges about self-management at a time of rapid emotional and psychological change and in the context of swiftly changing educational and vocational experiences, the challenges of high adherence and the development of long-term emotional and sexual relationships. This small-scale qualitative study aimed to explore hopes and ambitions, anticipated challenges and support needs with regard to their transition to adulthood with a group of HIV+ young people in London, UK. All participants were of Black African origin and had acquired HIV vertically.
Method / Issue: 5 adolescents (4 female, 1 male; age range 17-19 years) attended a focus group. Questions focused on the impact of HIV status on: school and educational issues; romantic relationships/disclosure of HIV status; work and training. The focus group was facilitated by 2 clinical psychologists. The session was transcribed verbatim and data were compared and analysed for inter-rater reliability, commonly recurring themes and subjected to a thematic analysis.
Results / Comments: The over-arching theme was an increasing awareness and sometimes uncomfortable understanding by participants that HIV suffuses all areas of their lives in complex and unexpected ways. Key subthemes included: strong ambitions for the future complicated by HIV (e.g. wish to attend university and/or have a career but anticipating the burdensome aspect of keeping their HIV status secret); disclosure as a life-long and every-present dilemma (e.g. delaying romantic/sexual relationships as a strategy for non-disclosure, anticipating discrimination in the workplace); identifying the need to build life-skills (e.g. living alone but feeling ill-prepared to manage finances, bills etc); acknowledging a need for on-going support (e.g. from peers, positive adults and professionals) and a request for services to adapt to their changing needs (e.g. age-specific group support).
Discussion: This focus group had a small number of participants and representativeness of the population of HIV+ young people is not claimed. However, the data suggest that young HIV+ people slowly become aware of the complex implications of living with HIV infection as they grow older. Many of these implications are unwelcome and emphasize the need for them to be as equipped as possible with the skills and tools to self-manage effectively. Clinically, health professionals need to be aware that the personal meanings of HIV infection for this group may be changing very rapidly as they grow older. Professionals can help by being actively curious by enquiring about these changes in order to help their young patients make sense of their feelings and behaviours.
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