“We listen to them”: A Qualitative Study of HIV Provider-Patient Relationship in the Management of Care

Background: Although previous research that considered a variety of chronic diseases have shown that quality of provider-patient relationship is related to health outcomes, key issues defining HIV care provider-patient relationship has not been well studied in Belgium. It is important to understand the key elements that define HIV care team-patient relationship and how they deal with psychosocial issues facing sub-Saharan African (SSA) migrant women with HIV/AIDS in Belgium.

Methods: Face to face in-depth semi-structured interviews with 8 HIV experts at an AIDS Reference Centre in Brussels were conducted between December 2013 and March 2014. Observations during patient–doctor consultations were also conducted. Experts were asked to describe their experiences in the treatment and care of SSA migrant women with HIV/AIDS. Thematic analysis approach was used in the analysis of the transcripts.

Results: HIV care team viewed their role as encompassing both biomedical and psychosocial aspects of care, reported a bottom-up communication about HIV care and the ability to positively influence patients’ acceptance and coping with HIV/AIDS as a long-term illness. The team described communication as a process, individualized approaches to recommendations and viewed their provision of care as satisfying. Some participants described their frustration at not being able to get some patients adhere to their treatment.

Conclusion: HIV care team reported increased job satisfaction in their interaction with patients. Further research is necessary to determine if educational interventions to improve non-HIV healthcare providers’ interaction skills could improve patient-healthcare providers’ relationship and reduce stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings.