Types and delivery of emotional support to promote linkage and engagement in HIV care

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographics

	N=27
Gender
Male	13
Female	13
Transgender	1
Age group
25–34	3
35–44	8
45–54	9
55–64	6
Unknown	1
Race
Black or African American	16
White	8
Other	2
Unknown	1
Ethnicity
Non-hispanic	24
Hispanic	2
Unknown	1
Education
Less than high school diploma	8
High school diploma	10
Some college	3
Associates degree	3
Bachelors	0
Graduate degree	1
Unknown	2
Number of years with HIV	M =13.2 (SD =8.4)
Time to care
Delay	17
Immediate	10
Place of diagnosis
Health department	11
Jail	4
Plasma/blood center	2
Rehabilitation center	2
Physician’s office	5
Hospital	2
Free testing site	1
Transmission category
Substance use	9
MSM	10
Rape	3
Blood transfusion	1
Heterosexual	4

Abbreviations: HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; M, mean; SD, standard deviation; MSM, men who have sex with men.

Figure 1 Types and delivery of emotional support.

Table 2 Themes and supporting data

Type of support	Definition	Example
Identification	Knowledge of others with HIV can enhance feelings of identification and belonging after diagnosis	People want to know they are not the only one. I wanted to know that I wasn’t the only one in this situation
Connection	Health-care providers should maintain contact while offering reassurance and comfort	They (providers) communicate with their clients, especially the case managers. They check on their clients. They check on their appointments. They check on their lab works
Navigational presence	Someone to be there with them through the process of linkage and not necessarily telling them where they needed to go next. This can be described as engaged presence	I just couldn’t deal with this. She was my good support. My daughter was there, we’ll make it, you know? She went to the doctor with me and they talked with me and the case manager was very good. Both the doctors was, you know, give me good spirit
Delivery	A peer is the ideal person to offer social support at the time of diagnosis; however, health-care providers may refer people newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS to peers or local support groups	Peers that’s livin’ with it and medical people, they need, both needs to come in at the same time, not just medical cuz medical people really don’t understand. I guess they would understand but they just …

Abbreviations: AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus.