Abstract
Mothers living with HIV are faced with managing their own complex healthcare and wellness needs while caring for their children. Understanding the lived experiences of mothers living with HIV, including grandmothers and mothers with older children - who are less explicitly represented in existing literature, may guide the development of interventions that best support them and their families. This study sought to explore the role of motherhood and related social/structural factors on engagement with HIV care, treatment-seeking behaviour, and overall HIV management among mothers living with HIV in the USA to inform such efforts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted between June and December 2015 with 52 mothers living with HIV, recruited from the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) sites in four US cities. Five broad themes were identified from the interviews: children as a motivation for optimal HIV management; children as providing logistical support for HIV care and treatment; the importance of social support for mothers; stressors tied to responsibilities of motherhood; and stigma about being a mother living with HIV. Findings underscore the importance of considering the demands of motherhood when developing more effective strategies to support mothers in managing HIV and promoting the overall health and well-being of their families.
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the study participants for sharing their personal stories and experiences and dedication of the staff at the WIHS sites for their contributions. This paper benefited from editing support from the Population Health Innovation Lab (PHIL) Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning Innovations (MERLIN) team, including Stephanie Bultema and Sue Grinnell who we thank for their insights and support.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).