Keeping safe, keeping connected: A qualitative study of HIV-positive women's experiences of partner relationships

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Abstract
This article reports the findings of a study specifically oriented to the exploration of HIV-positive women's experiences of partner-relationships. Transcripts of individual interviews with six women were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The article focuses on an emergent, central organizing theme of ‘psychological protection’, which is defined as a perceived need to protect oneself from the psychological threats associated with an HIV-positive identity. Conflicts between protecting the self and protecting others, and between psychological protection and physical protection in partner-relationships, are highlighted. The potential for a partner-relationship to be psychologically protective against feelings of ‘otherness’ is indicated. The study suggests an underlying tension, for these women, between psychological safety and a need for connection with others. Issues of relevance to those working with HIV-positive women are discussed.