Women infected by the human immunodeficiency virus: experienced feelings regarding the sickness

Objective: learning the feelings of women infected with HIV. Method: this is about a qualitative study, carried out at the Specialized Care Service (SAE) in the Sierra Gaúcha region of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil with 11 women infected with HIV. The information was collected by means of semi-structured interview and the analysis followed Bardin’s stages. The project was approved by the Ethics Research Committee of the Instituição Nossa Senhora de Fátima (protocol no. 054/09). Results: two categories emerged from the analysis of the obtained information: Reaction before the diagnosis and Feelings before HIV. Conclusion: the speeches of the protagonists in this study evidence that the reactions before the revelation of the diagnosis arouse among the women a variety of feelings like despair and depression along with the fear of death and the prejudice that come from themselves and from society like an end of plans, dreams and possibilities of future life. The performance of health professionals close to the women especially the Nursing ones who are responsible for the integral care, may contribute significantly to the adhesion to the sickness treatment, to face fear and the challenges imposed by society and to the quality of life of these women. Descriptors: acquired immunodeficiency síndrome; women; comprehensive health care.