Stress coping strategies and their perceived effectiveness among HIV/AIDS healthcare providers in China: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have suggested that many HIV/AIDS healthcare providers (HCPs), especially those in resource-poor settings, suffer from various work-related stress because of the complexity of HIV/AIDS patients’ medical conditions, occupational exposure, HIV-related stigma, and challenges with patients’ physical, mental, and social conditions. However, data are limited regarding how HIV/AIDS HCPs cope with the stress and their perceived effectiveness of these coping strategies. This qualitative study was designed to explore HCPs’ coping strategies and their perceptions of effectiveness of these strategies. We conducted in-depth face-to-face interviews with 46 HIV/AIDS HCPs in Guangxi, China. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and imported into NVivo V.11. Data were analyzed using a thematic approach. The analysis of the data revealed six general coping strategies: seeking social support, applying problem-solving strategies, adopting healthy lifestyle, developing self-compassion, using mindfulness-based stress reduction methods, and avoidance and escaping. It is imperative to increase institutional support and develop training programs to improve problem-solving skills, healthy lifestyle, and self-compassion among HIV/AIDS HCPs in China.

KEYWORDS:

• China
• coping strategy
• stress
• HIV/AIDS
• perceived effectiveness
• healthcare provider
• qualitative study

Acknowledgments

We thank Wenjia Liu, Chen Chen for helping us implement the interviews and all the participants’ attribution to our research.

The authors want to thank Joanne Zwemer, Miranda Cole for assistance with manuscript preparation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The research was funded by the NIH R01HD074221, R21AI122919, R01MH0112376 and Basic scientific research ability improvement program for young and middle-aged faculty in colleges universities in Guangxi 2021KY0307.