Message Quality and Standing to Support: A Qualitative Study of Support Messages Given to African-American HIV Survivors

Abstract

We interviewed 25 African American HIV survivors who were as much as 25 years distant from their original diagnoses. We asked them to tell us about both supportive and non-supportive messages they received upon learning of their HIV status. Their interviews showed evidence of the importance of what we call standing to support. This idea is that particular roles (e.g., medical or family) imply a duty to offer constructive support. Anyone without such a standing is essentially irrelevant to the provision of support. Successful performance of a standing requires ability (to give information, to be empathetic, etc.) but the performance must be activated by the person who needs support. We found contrasts in the quality of messages originating in each of the standings we studied: medical, family, friends, relational partners, churches, and community centers. Dual consideration of supportive and non-supportive messages is productive in understanding the different standings to support.