Women living with HIV often feel isolated. One significant avenue for HIV-positive women to receive the support, information, and affiliation they need is through gender-specific HIV support groups, but research is lacking about how support groups for HIV-positive women can be helpful. This exploratory study examined HIV-positive women's perceptions about their experiences in women-only HIV support groups. Seventy-one women attending nine women-only HIV support groups in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina were surveyed. Benefits from attendance included: (a) increase in medication compliance, (b) decreased risk behavior for re-exposure to HIV, (c) reduced feelings of shame, and (d) a network of friends to socialize with. Results indicate that even if women-only HIV support groups do not stress behavior or lifestyle changes, these are often by-products of support group attendance.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ETSU/oai:dc.etsu.edu:etsu-works-18936 |
| Date | 01 December 2008 |
| Creators | Lennon-Dearing, Robin |
| Publisher | Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University |
| Source Sets | East Tennessee State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Source | ETSU Faculty Works |
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