Rejection, Current Suffering in the Lives of People WithHIV/AIDS: A Qualitative Study in Iran

Background: people with hiv/aids face numerous challenges, including the effect ofthe disease on their personal relationships with family, friends, colleagues, and healthcareprofessionals.objectives: the purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate social interactions amongpatients with hiv/aids in iran.materials & methods: this qualitative content analysis study was conducted on 12 patients withhiv/aids referring to the behavioral disease counseling center of imam khomeini hospitalin tehran and the behavioral disease counseling center in rasht city in 2018. semi-structured,face-to-face, and audio-recorded interviews were used to collect data. purposive sampling withmaximum variation was used to select participants. the duration of the interview was between40 to 75 min. maxqda software, version 10 was used for data organization and management,and conventional content analysis was used for data analysis.results: from the analysis of interviews with 12 individuals with hiv/aids (7 men and 5women), 51 codes were extracted in three categories: disease disclosure (disclosure to importantpeople in life, disclosure to public and health services, and dealing with the challenges ofdisclosure), social support (impairment in interpersonal relationships and relationships withpeers), and acceptance (social acceptance and acceptance by health care providers).conclusion: despite significant progress in hiv/aids prevention, treatment, and education,the stigma caused by this disease remains high and has a negative impact on the interpersonalrelationships of people living with hiv/aids with their families, relatives, friends, colleagues, andhealthcare providers.