Brief Report: A Qualitative Analysis of Discussions about HIV in Families of Parents with HIV

Abstract

Objective To explore communication about HIV prevention, risk behaviors, and transmission in families affected by HIV. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 parents with HIV, 27 children (9- to 17-years old), and 19 adult children (≥18-years old) across the U.S. Coders reviewed transcripts, identified themes, and coded transcripts. Results Youth felt uncomfortable discussing HIV with their parent who has HIV because they worried about upsetting and reminding the parent of his/her illness. Adult children reported learning about HIV prevention by watching how the illness affected their parents. Few siblings reported talking with one another about HIV because they worried about upsetting their brother/sister and about their sibling unintentionally disclosing the parent's illness to others. Conclusions Discussions between youth and their parent with HIV and their siblings vary, highlighting the need for further research in this area.