Uncovering the stressors and coping strategies among young people living with HIV: A Hospital-based qualitative study in Eastern India.

Background: HIV/AIDS is a modern epidemic. Although its overall incidence is relatively low in India, more young people are getting infected because of a lack of knowledge and high transmissibility. Antiretroviral therapy has brought a radical change in the treatment of HIV. Still, socio-cultural stigma affects the day-to-day life, occupation, family, and personal life of people with HIV, making them struggle hard to cope with the situation. Methods: In this study, we aimed to explore the stressors and coping strategies of young people (18-30 years) with HIV with the help of a qualitative approach. We have conducted seven face-to-face and telephonic in-depth interviews with eligible participants who are registered in the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre of a tertiary care hospital. Data collection continued till data saturation was achieved. Sufficient facilities were put in place to uphold confidentiality. Results: We have performed a thematic analysis. Poor physical health, stress regarding the disclosure of the positive status, and job insecurity were the main life experiences found in our study. The main stressors found in the study were - privacy issues, marital or partner conflict, and fear of revealing to the family because of socio-cultural stigma. The diagnosis of HIV infection resulted in depressive and mood symptoms among most of the participants. Reliability, family support, and peer support were the primary coping mechanisms found in the current study. Conclusion: Not only should a young person with HIV be treated, but their emotional and psychological condition after the diagnosis should be explored. The knowledge about the coping mechanism will help to formulate new strategies for the improvement in the psychological health of those people.