Re-signifying HIV through exercise: from death sentence stigma to healthy self-perception

ABSTRACT: Despite HIV being considered a chronic disease and the benefits that exercise interventions can bring to HIV-infected patients, the application of physical activity is currently low. Some qualitative studies have been conducted; however, it is currently little known about the meaning of the experience of exercising in people with HIV. This hermeneutic research used 21 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with patients with this condition. The analysis was based on a grounded Theory methodology, which is theoretically supported by symbolic interactionism. It was possible to advance in re-signifying HIV from a social stigma context. This process, through exercise and social, family and medical support, comes from the breaking of individual and collective perception paradigms. Particularly, exercise changes the perspective from a HIV-infected person on the verge of death to a healthy, active and functional individual with personal goals. Thus, by contributing to functionality and health recovery, exercise re-signifies life. Moreover, commitment to physical activity goals is influenced by inner tensions that can hinder or encourage this habit and demand further research. HIV infection shifts from being a death sentence to a healthy self-perception beyond the diagnosis.

• Autores: Rodríguez Moreno, Yeimmy Alexandra; Calderón Cardona, Omar Antionio; Gallo Villegas, Jaime Alberto; Yepes Delgado, Carlos Enrique
• Tipo de recurso: Article of investigation
• Fecha de publicación: 2024
• Institución: Universidad de Antioquia
• Repositorio: Repositorio UdeA
• Idioma: eng
• OAI Identifier: oai:bibliotecadigital.udea.edu.co:10495/38960
• Acceso en línea: https://hdl.handle.net/10495/38960
• Palabra clave: Ejercicio Físico; Exercise; VIH; HIV; Enfermedad Crónica; Chronic Disease; Estigma Social; Social Stigma; Teoría Fundamentada; Grounded Theory; Sucesos de vida; Life change events; https://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D015444; https://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D006678; https://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D002908; https://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D057545; https://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D066296
• Rights: openAccess
• License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/