Impacto psicológico del diagnóstico, ansiedad por la salud, adherencia al tratamiento y estigmatización social en personas con VIH/SIDA en Tegucigalpa y Yoro

Abstract

The present study aimed to analyze the relationship between the impact of diagnosis, health anxiety, treatment adherence, and social stigmatization in people with HIV/AIDS in Tegucigalpa and Yoro, Honduras. The methodology used was mixed, with a concurrent design. In the quantitative component, the design is non-experimental and cross-sectional, while the qualitative component is based on a phenomenological approach. Three data collection instruments were used: the Brief Health Anxiety Measure (MBA), the Treatment Adherence Scale (SMA-Q), and the Perceived Stigma Scale by Berger. The sample consisted of 60 people with HIV from the cities of Tegucigalpa and Yoro. According to the results obtained in this study, concerning the quantitative component, no significant relationships were found when correlating health anxiety and treatment adherence. Among the main categories and subcategories of the qualitative component, we can mention the emotional impact of the diagnosis, protective factors, risk factors, experiences of stigma and discrimination, and physical changes. At the same time, thematic triangulation was conducted between the quantitative and qualitative components. The results suggest that people tend to develop defense mechanisms to cope with the impact of receiving an HIV diagnosis. On the other hand, it was also evident that individuals continue to engage in rituals to keep their medical condition hidden due to fear of societal rejection.