The Lived Experience of Gay Men Caring for Others with HIV/AIDS

ISBN-13: 9783639035810 / Angielski / Miękka / 2008 / 324 str.

Ian Munro

Opis

This text explored gay male carers experience of caring for their part­ner, brother or friend who had HIV/AIDS. Through using pheno­menological methodology (van Manen, 1990), the day-to-day caring experiences were uncovered. The data gathered was then analysed through a nursing lens, with the concept of stigma as an anchoring point. The dual stigmas of homophobia and AIDS phobia impacted on the daily lives of these men as they cared for their loved one.The research identified six themes. These were: 1) the relationship; 2) coping with HIV and AIDS; 3) the corporal impact of HIV/AIDS; 4) experiences of carers including the absence of others; 5) living daily with the virus demands of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA); and 6) saying goodbye, while keeping the memory alive. The carers struggled with not only the demands of day-to-day care, but also with non-acceptance from family, both of the nature of the relationship with their partner and of their homosexuality. Family members were forced, often with great difficulty, to acknowledge the close commit­ment the men had to each other.

O autorze

Munro, Ian Ian Munro is currently a lecturer with Deakin University, he completed his his Ph.D. in the area of gay men caring for others who have HIV/AIDS in 2002. He has been interested in this area since the mid eighties, where he provided education to the volunteer sector of the Victorian AIDS Council. He has over 30 years of experience in the areas of community mental health nursing and acute care. His interests are in carers and individuals who are marginalised by society, as they are often not able to gain quality mental health care. He recently gained a beyondblue grant investigating the ?best practice in terms of seeking and maintaining employment for people with depression and other mental illness?. He is currently the President of JobCo, an employment agency for unemployed individuals; with a strong focus those with disabilities and mental health problems.