Social representations of HIV/AIDS by older people and the interface with prevention

ABSTRACT Objective: To apprehend the social representations elaborated by older people about HIV/AIDS and to understand how they relate to the prevention of HIV infection. Method: Descriptive and qualitative research based on the Theory of Social Representations with 42 older people assisted at primary care. Data were produced through in-depth interviews with a semi-structured instrument, processed in the IRaMuTeQ software, and analyzed by means of the descending hierarchical classification. Results: Five classes emerged: “HIV/AIDS: a problem of young people”; “Quality of life improvement for people living with HIV/AIDS”; “Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS among heterosexual women in a stable union”; “HIV/AIDS Information Network: process of creation and transformation of social representations” and “Prevention versus stigma”. Final considerations: The social representations that older people have about HIV/AIDS influence the adoption of preventive measures negatively because stigma is present and HIV/AIDS is attributed to young men, and to men who have sex with other men.摘要 研究目的：探析老年人针对艾滋病（HIV/AIDS）所形成的社会表征，并明晰其与艾滋病感染预防行为间的关联。研究方法：本研究为基于社会表征理论（Theory of Social Representations）的描述性质性研究，研究对象为42名在基层医疗卫生机构接受照护的老年人。研究数据通过半结构化深度访谈采集，访谈采用半结构化工具，数据经IRaMuTeQ软件处理后，通过层次递降分类法（descending hierarchical classification）开展分析。研究结果：共提炼出5类社会表征，分别为："艾滋病（HIV/AIDS）：年轻人的问题"、"艾滋病病毒感染者及艾滋病患者的生活质量改善"、"稳定伴侣关系中的异性恋女性所面临的艾滋病感染脆弱性"、"艾滋病信息网络：社会表征的生成与转变过程"以及"预防与污名"。研究结论：老年人对艾滋病的社会表征会对其采取预防措施产生负面影响，究其缘由，一是仍存在艾滋病污名，二是大众将艾滋病归因于年轻男性及男男性行为人群。