title: [The meanings of quality of life for women with AIDS].
abstract: The objective of this study conducted among women with AIDS, was to identify the knowledge about how they acquired the disease, as well as the meaning AIDS has in their Quality of Life. This is a qualitative, exploratory descriptive study encompassing twelve women. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews from October 2006 to January 2007. After the analysis, two categories were identified. The first one related to how AIDS was acquired, and the other to the meanings of Quality of Life (QL) for these women. The results revealed that the interviewees know how the HIV infection was acquired. The meanings, as far as Quality of Life, had to do with keeping healthy, family and work relationships, and acceptance of current situation, all of which points out to the need of providing wholesome care for these women.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Paraná, Brasil. jtmartins@uel.br
authors.forename: Júlia Trevisan
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Mara Lúcia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Garanhani
authors.forename: Maria Lúcia do Carmo Cruz
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Robazzi
authors.forename: Wilson Correa
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: dos Santos