Lifestyles and health practices of men and women after being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS: gender perspectives (abstract: p. 17)

Abstract

Gender issues permeate various domains of the lives of men and women, including health. This aim of this study was to analyze how gendered values and ideals shape the lifestyles and health practices of people living with HIV (PLHIV) after diagnosis. We conducted a narrative analysis drawing on interviews with 20 men and women living with HIV. Four core analytical categories were identified in which gender issues emerged: affective sexual relationships; stigma; self-esteem and relationship with the body; and self-care practices and experience in health care settings. It was concluded that the lifestyles and health practices of PLHIV are linked to social discourses historically attributed to gender, acquiring specific meanings for men and women after diagnosis.