The impact of working with people with HIV/AIDS: A review of the literature

This review describes and discusses research on the experiences of professionals and volunteers who work face-to-face with people with HIV/AIDS. Although there is a rapidly growing body of research which examines the attitudes and experiences of staff involved in HIV/AIDS service provision, this work has, as yet, failed to produce a comprehensive picture of the ways in which demands of HIV/AIDS-related work differ from those of other fields of work. Because studies have differed considerably, both in terms of focus and methods, few systematic comparisons between the experiences of different professional groups have been made. Research must have a comparative focus if we are to begin to distinguish those demands which are unique to HIV/AIDS from those to which satisfactory responses may have already been developed in parallel fields of work. Much of the work to date has assumed that the demands inherent in AIDS work are self-evident, but has failed to contextualize AIDS work in relation to other fields of service provision, the personal circumstances and career paths of workers, and the organizational structure within which work takes place. The studies have provided very little information about the process of adaptation to AIDS work and the rewards which may offset some of the stresses and demands of the work. This review attempts to provide a comprehensive overview of the research which has been carried out in relation to workers in different locations responding to different epidemic patterns and demands on services. It also attempts to contextualize the demands of HIV/AIDS-related work by comparing the demands and responses reported with regard to other types of work and makes recommendations for future research.