Identity Issues for People Living with HIV/AIDS: Humans with Potential or Sexual Victims?

Abstract

Sexuality issues are important to consider within the practice of occupational therapy. This is especially so when working with people with the human immunodeficiency virus and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), where issues related to sexuality are both relevant and present. Recent advances in HIV medications have improved the health and life expectancy for many people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). This has been not only a medical and biological change, but also one that has had dramatic impact on the psychosocial issues, including those related to sexuality, relevant for PLWHA. This shift in HIV context prompted the creation of a new occupational therapy service for PLWHA — Positive Employment Support (PES). This paper describes data from a focus group held with PES clients, conducted to evaluate the client responses to PES and to direct future service provision. While the focus group provided the expected data about client responses to PES, it also provided rich data about the impact of the shifting HIV/AIDS context on notions of sexuality and identity. This paper explores these ideas and the resulting implications for occupational therapists, especially those working within the field of HIV/AIDS.