The experience of infectologists faced with death and dying among their patients over the course of the AIDS epidemic in the city of São Paulo: Qualitative study

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: With the emergence of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in 1981, infectologists' care practices went through great changes. The objective of this study was to describe and analyze the experiences of infectologists in dealing with death and dying among their patients, over the course of the AIDS epidemic in the city of São Paulo. DESIGN AND SETTING: A qualitative approach was used. Twenty infectologists from five hospitals that treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS patients in the municipality of São Paulo were interviewed. METHODS: The sample was formed through the snowball process. The sample size was determined using the saturation criterion. To analyze the material obtained from the interviews, the procedure of thematic analysis was used. This consisted of finding the core meaning relating to the study objective, within the set of materials obtained. RESULTS: Analysis of the material obtained from the interviews led to three main themes: 1. The initial context of AIDS and its impact on infectologists; 2. Modifications to the infectologists' attachments to patients after the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART); 3. Coping with death and dying. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the importance of considering the distress, emotional overload and adaptive mechanisms relating to death and dying among patients, both in training and in professional practice.