title: The experience of infectologists faced with death and dying among their patients over the course of the AIDS epidemic in the city of São Paulo: qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With the emergence of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in 1981, infectologists' care practices went through great changes. The objective of this study was to describe and analyze the experiences of infectologists in dealing with death and dying among their patients, over the course of the AIDS epidemic in the city of São Paulo.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative approach was used. Twenty infectologists from five hospitals that treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS patients in the municipality of São Paulo were interviewed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample was formed through the snowball process. The sample size was determined using the saturation criterion. To analyze the material obtained from the interviews, the procedure of thematic analysis was used. This consisted of finding the core meaning relating to the study objective, within the set of materials obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of the material obtained from the interviews led to three main themes: 1. The initial context of AIDS and its impact on infectologists; 2. Modifications to the infectologists' attachments to patients after the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART); 3. Coping with death and dying.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows the importance of considering the distress, emotional overload and adaptive mechanisms relating to death and dying among patients, both in training and in professional practice.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Emi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shimma
authors.forename: Maria Cezira Fantini
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Nogueira-Martins
authors.forename: Luiz Antonio
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Nogueira-Martins
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055552:Infectious Disease Medicine; D008297:Male; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research