title: Spiritual support for people living with HIV/AIDS: a Brazilian explorative, descriptive study.
abstract: In this exploratory and descriptive research, we identified the meaning of religion and spirituality in the experience of patients at a public health service for treatment of HIV/AIDS in a Brazilian upcountry town. Eight participants were selected through theoretical sampling. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, and analyzed by means of qualitative content analysis. The emerging themes were religion: a path to support, and God is everything. Religion, as a path that leads patients to different sources of support, included exploration of different churches, acknowledgment of guilt, and finding strength to cope with the disease, rationalization of the disease process, meeting other churchgoers, and finding God and faith. God, an important source of support, was present in prayers, in the belief in healing through faith, and in the feeling of comfort and relief. Because spirituality and religion were seen as important sources of support, in this study we that health professionals include these aspects in care planning.
authors.affiliation: Programme on Health Promotion, University of Franca, Franca.
authors.forename: Camila Roberto da Costa Borges
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Caixeta
authors.forename: Lucila Castanheira
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Iara Cristina da Silva
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Pedro
authors.forename: Semiramis Melani Melo
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015399:Nursing Research; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D011788:Quality of Life; D012067:Religion; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult