Spirituality in patients with HIV

The article considers those who live with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) a sacred text and addresses the issue of the experience and spiritual care that implies living with HIV. Participatory action research approach is adopted along with the perspective of the hermeneutics of liberation. The latter makes possible to articulate pre-text, context and text for a better understanding of the issue. The article is divided in four sections: first, it presents the adopted methodology; second, it introduces the text and the context of the patients; third, it establishes a conceptual approach to four categories: body, health, illness and spirituality; and, finally, it introduces, as a way of pre-text, the guidelines for spiritual support. The spiritual experience of the patients, which is marked by stigmatization, is a challenge for a compassionate support capable of contributing with the redefinition of their life projects