University of Bergen, HEMIL

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Retrospective exploration of HIV-positive persons' experience with HIV-testing, counselling and social support groups. DESIGN: Qualitative study, purposeful sampling, semi-structured in-depth interviews. SAMPLE: 13 HIV-posititive persons above age 18, selected from 63 registered HIV-positive persons in Latvia from 1987 to 1996. FINDINGS: The interviewees had been tested either based on their own decision to go for HIV-testing, or as part of STD screening

or general health check-up, but without informed consent for HIV-testing. Regardless of how testing came about there had been no pre-test counselling, meaning that even those who had decided to ask for testing had not been prepared for a potential HIV-positive test result. After getting the test-results 5 of the interviewees had stayed for a week in the Infectious Disease Hospital in Riga for health check-up and counselling. According to these persons, the advantages of staying in the hospital were: a) feeling secure of getting medical help; b) getting time to accept the fact of HIV-infection while in a protected situation; c) avoid loneliness; d) getting to know the medical staff; e) building trusting relationships with the medical staff; f) choosing whom to confide in among the medical staff; g)getting counselling about HIV-transmission modes and risk-reduction strategies. Those who did not stay in hospital could not recall having benefitted from post-test counselling. Access to support groups and HIV-related information differed among the interviewees according to educational level and socio-economic status. Small self-help groups of HIV-positive persons with similar background were experienced as most appropriate. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to improve testing services in Latvia to include pre-test counselling and to secure informed consent. Staying for a week in a hospital after getting the HIV-positive result seems helpful in order to accept and cope with HIV diagnosis and future prospects.

Keywords

HIV-testing , Counselling, Coping, Latvia

Contact

Lie Gro Th.

Institution

University of Bergen, HEMIL

Postaddress

Christiesgate 13

Postcode

N-5015

City

Bergen

Country

Norway

E-mail

gro.lie@psych.uib.no

Phone

+ 47 55 58 32 21

Fax

+ 47 55 58 98 87