The Plight of Rural Parents Caring for Adult Children with HIV

Abstract

The author used a qualitative research design to study the impact of an HIV-seropositive adult child on parents living in rural communities. In-depth, informal conversational interviews were conducted with eight mothers and two fathers of eight seropositive adult children on two separate occasions during a four-month period in three mid' western states. The author discusses three themes: physical and mental problems related to HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS stigma, and health care. Although no single theme was dominant in the interviews, HIV/AIDS stigma showed the highest degree of interrelatedness. Rural parents of HIV-seropositive children have few places or people in their communities to turn to in dealing with the consequences of their child's HIV status. Recommendations for rural health care professionals are provided.