The Meaning and Use of Spirituality Among African American Women Living With HIV/AIDS

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Safiya George Dalmida, Emory University; Marcia McDonnell Holstad, Emory University; Colleen K Diiorio, Emory University; Gary Laderman, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2012-10
• Publisher: SAGE Publications (UK and US)
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2012, SAGE Publications
• Final Published Version (URL): http://wjn.sagepub.com/content/34/6/736.long
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Western Journal of Nursing Research
• ISSN: 0193-9459
• Volume: 34
• Issue: 6
• Start Page: 736
• End Page: 765
• Grant/Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by the following National Institutes of Health and National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) Grants: 1 R01 NR008094-01A1 RSUM (Dalmida), NRSA F31NR009758-01 (Dalmida), R01 NR04857 (GBL Study, DiIorio, PI), and R01 NR008094 (KHARMA Project, Holstad, PI).
• Keywords: HIV/AIDS; immune clinical focus; health behavior/symptom focus; qualitative methods; methods; Black population focus; spirituality; focus groups
• Research Categories: Psychology, General; Health Sciences, Public Health

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the meaning and use of spirituality among African American (AA), predominantly Christian women with HIV. A nonrandom sample of 20 AA women from a large infectious disease clinic in Metro-Atlanta participated in the study. The study used focus groups and individual interviews to interview women about their lived spiritual experience. Content analysis and NUDIST software were used to analyze transcripts. The findings revealed the spiritual views and practices of AA women with HIV. The following themes (and subthemes) emerged: Spirituality is a process/journey or connection (connection to God, higher power, or spirit and HIV brought me closer to God), spiritual expression (religion/church attendance, prayer, helping others, having faith), and spiritual benefits (health/healing, spiritual support, inner peace/strength/ability to keep going, and here for a reason or purpose/a second chance). Findings highlight the importance of spirituality in health and well-being among AA women with HIV/AIDS.