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Shrouded In Stigma: A Heuristic Study Of Living With Hiv, Neal Stacy Rosenburg

Dissertations

HIV-related stigma is a serious hindrance to addressing the recruitment, maintenance, and follow-up nursing care of HIV-infected persons. This study was anchored within the heuristic research model, which engaged both the researcher and participants in a dialogical and aesthetic manner to unveil the stigma of HIV. The close proximity of the researcher and study participants revealed the most visceral, emotional, and self-reflective nature of gathering data, while maintaining the integrity and rigor of a qualitative study. The purpose of this heuristic study was to examine the lived experiences of HIV-infected individuals relating to internalized stigma within an existential context. This …