Engulfing Darkness: The Impact of HIV/AIDS on the Family

Abstract

A qualitative study undertaken in Mumbai, India, explored the family experience of HIV/AIDS. Seven nuclear households (4 with concordant couples in which both spouses in the marriage were seropositive, and 3 with discordant couples in which only one spouse was seropositive) included in the study reported devastating impacts in various spheres of family life, following the onset and the progress of HIV-related illness, and the knowledge of the seropositive diagnosis. Complex changes were observed in family composition, spousal relationships, family formation, family roles and responsibilities, family economy, quality of life, and family aspirations. The findings have direct implications for policy formulation, program planning, and service delivery in the field of HIV/AIDS.