THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH HIV / AIDS

Family remains a great support for every individual in the society, but for individuals living with HIV / AIDS this support is a necessity. The aim of this study is to show how important is the family support for a person living with HIV / AIDS. Our study will explore the importance of family support for people living with HIV / AIDS, given that there are few studies conducted in this area. The method used is the qualitative method. There are used semi-structured interviews, where 10 interviews are conducted with people affected by HIV / AIDS, 10 others with families and 10 semi-structured interviews are conducted with key service providers (4 doctors, 3 nurses, 1 social worker, 2 specialists of the National Programs on HIV / AIDS in PHI (Public Health Institution). The study is conducted at the Regional Health Office the VCT-HIV / AIDS, which offers free tests for: HIV / AIDS, hepatitis B / C and Syphilis. The results showed that the support provided by the family is a necessity for a person with HIV / AIDS, because they feel supported from the family and accepted as a member of it, valid and non-discriminated. Without family support, they said that their life would end and there will be no reason and hope to fight HIV / AIDS. From all the interviewed, three of them did not have the support of their families. In conclusion, we can say that the family is the backbone, where these people find warmth and support, and without it, they cannot move forward in life. Article visualizations