Graduation Semester and Year
Spring 2025
Language
English
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work
Department
Social Work
First Advisor
Dr. Eusebius Small
Second Advisor
Dr. Jandel Crutchfield
Third Advisor
Dr. Vijayan Pillai
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Keith Anderson
Fifth Advisor
NA
Abstract
This study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities in access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and mental health services, while simultaneously highlighting the remarkable resilience of the participants. Adaptive coping mechanisms, community support, and advocacy efforts emerged as critical strategies for navigating the layered challenges of living with HIV during a global health crisis. The study identified key themes such as social isolation and estrangement, the emotional toll of the diagnosis, resilience in navigating health crises, and redefining possibilities through HIV services, with each theme branching into sub-themes that offer deeper interpretations. Participants' narratives underscore the necessity for tailored interventions that address the broad-ranging needs of PLWH, including the integration of mental health services into HIV care and the development of socially-led education campaigns to combat stigma. By focusing on the unique experiences of PLWH, this research contributes to the broader understanding of syndemic health crises, where HIV/AIDS interacts synergistically with other social, economic, and health issues, exacerbating the overall impact on affected communities. The study calls for a paradigm shift in public health policy, emphasizing the need for inclusive and intersectional approaches that prioritize equity, resilience, and community empowerment. The findings also provide actionable insights for healthcare providers, policymakers, and community organizations, advocating for robust telemedicine infrastructure, stigma reduction initiatives, and comprehensive support systems that ensure continuity of care during public health emergencies.
As the global community still grapples with the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study underlines the urgency of reimagining public health strategies. By centering the voices of those living at the intersection of HIV and COVID-19, it challenges existing paradigms and paves the way for innovative solutions that transcend individual health crises, offering a blueprint for more equitable, inclusive, and resilient healthcare systems. The research not only highlights the structural inequities that deepen health disparities but also illuminates the resilience and adaptive capacities of PLWH, providing a foundation for policies and practices that uphold dignity, well-being, and social inclusion for all.
Keywords
HIV (PLWH), COVID-19 pandemic, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), Resilience, Stigma, Social isolation, Health disparities, Mental health services, Syndemic, Telemedicine.
Disciplines
African Studies | Allergy and Immunology | Applied Behavior Analysis | Archival Science | Behavioral Medicine | Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms | Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity | Biological Psychology | Central American Studies | Chemical and Pharmacologic Phenomena | Clinical and Medical Social Work | Clinical Epidemiology | Collection Development and Management | Communication | Community Health | Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Counselor Education | COVID-19 | Critical and Cultural Studies | Critical Care | Critical Care Nursing | Development Studies | Emergency Medicine | Environmental Public Health | Epidemiology | Family Practice Nursing | Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication | Geriatric Nursing | Global Studies | Health and Medical Physics | Health Communication | Health Psychology | Health Sciences and Medical Librarianship | Health Services Administration | Health Services Research | Human Factors Psychology | Infectious Disease | Influenza Virus Vaccines | Information Literacy | Integrative Medicine | Internal Medicine | International and Intercultural Communication | International Public Health | Interpersonal and Small Group Communication | Interprofessional Education | Laboratory Medicine | Latin American Studies | Mass Communication | Medical Anatomy | Medical Biophysics | Medical Cell Biology | Medical Humanities | Medical Immunology | Medical Pathology | Medical Pharmacology | Mental Disorders | Multicultural Psychology | Musculoskeletal, Neural, and Ocular Physiology | Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing | Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene | Organizational Communication | Other Communication | Other International and Area Studies | Other Medical Sciences | Other Medical Specialties | Other Medicine and Health Sciences | Other Mental and Social Health | Other Nursing | Other Psychiatry and Psychology | Other Public Health | Pathology | Patient Safety | Physiological Processes | Primary Care | Psychiatric and Mental Health | Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing | Psychiatry | Psychiatry and Psychology | Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy | Public Health and Community Nursing | Public Health Education and Promotion | Public Relations and Advertising | Publishing | Social Influence and Political Communication | Social Justice | Social Media | Social Psychology | Social Work | Speech and Rhetorical Studies | Substance Abuse and Addiction | Trauma | Urban Studies and Planning
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Alanazi, Ahmed F., "Resilience and Reality: Exploring the Lived Experiences of People Living with HIV in Texas During the COVID-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study." (2025). Social Work Dissertations. 191.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/socialwork_dissertations/191
Included in
African Studies Commons, Allergy and Immunology Commons, Applied Behavior Analysis Commons, Archival Science Commons, Behavioral Medicine Commons, Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons, Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity Commons, Biological Psychology Commons, Central American Studies Commons, Chemical and Pharmacologic Phenomena Commons, Clinical and Medical Social Work Commons, Clinical Epidemiology Commons, Collection Development and Management Commons, Community Health Commons, Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Counselor Education Commons, COVID-19 Commons, Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Critical Care Commons, Critical Care Nursing Commons, Development Studies Commons, Emergency Medicine Commons, Environmental Public Health Commons, Epidemiology Commons, Family Practice Nursing Commons, Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, Geriatric Nursing Commons, Global Studies Commons, Health and Medical Physics Commons, Health Communication Commons, Health Psychology Commons, Health Sciences and Medical Librarianship Commons, Health Services Administration Commons, Health Services Research Commons, Human Factors Psychology Commons, Infectious Disease Commons, Influenza Virus Vaccines Commons, Information Literacy Commons, Integrative Medicine Commons, Internal Medicine Commons, International and Intercultural Communication Commons, International Public Health Commons, Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Interprofessional Education Commons, Laboratory Medicine Commons, Latin American Studies Commons, Mass Communication Commons, Medical Anatomy Commons, Medical Biophysics Commons, Medical Cell Biology Commons, Medical Humanities Commons, Medical Immunology Commons, Medical Pathology Commons, Medical Pharmacology Commons, Mental Disorders Commons, Multicultural Psychology Commons, Musculoskeletal, Neural, and Ocular Physiology Commons, Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing Commons, Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Commons, Organizational Communication Commons, Other Communication Commons, Other International and Area Studies Commons, Other Medical Sciences Commons, Other Medical Specialties Commons, Other Medicine and Health Sciences Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons, Other Nursing Commons, Other Psychiatry and Psychology Commons, Other Public Health Commons, Pathology Commons, Patient Safety Commons, Physiological Processes Commons, Primary Care Commons, Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons, Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Commons, Psychiatry Commons, Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Commons, Public Health and Community Nursing Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons, Public Relations and Advertising Commons, Publishing Commons, Social Influence and Political Communication Commons, Social Justice Commons, Social Media Commons, Social Psychology Commons, Social Work Commons, Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons, Substance Abuse and Addiction Commons, Trauma Commons, Urban Studies and Planning Commons