REVIEW PAPER
The lived experience of HIV-positive patients during COVID‑19: a qualitative meta-synthesis
1
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
2
Iranian Research Center on Aging, Department of Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabiliation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3
Department of Health in Disaster and Emergencies, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
4
Department of Public Health, Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran
5
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Non-Communicable Diseases Research Institute, Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Submission date: 2023-09-13
Final revision date: 2023-10-15
Acceptance date: 2023-10-22
Online publication date: 2025-11-18
Corresponding author
Mojtaba Fattahi Ardakani
Diseases Research Institute, Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Diseases Research Institute, Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
HIV & AIDS Review 2025;24(4):253-261
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) face additional challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic spreading. It is crucial to perform a qualitative synthesis to gather, evaluate, and combine the existing qualitative findings as evidence for developing interventions. Therefore, this review aimed to present the experience of HIV-infected patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Material and Methods:
Meta-aggregation approach enabled the analysis of studies published in English between January 2020 and July 2023, while methodological quality of studies was evaluated using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) qualitative assessment and review instrument. Dependability and credibility of synthesized findings were assessed with ConQual guide. Five thematic content analyses and three phenomenological studies with an overall quality score of 70-100% were included.
Results:
The effective synthesis and aggregation of research findings from 213 participants in the eligible studies resulted in three distinct categories. Psychological distress, HIV care management, and social support were the three composite categories obtained from the results of qualitative studies. The ConQual score showed that two synthesized findings had a moderate rating.
Conclusions:
Overall, patients with HIV were challenged due to the advent of COVID-19, including psychological distress and the need for customized disease management. These issues call for heightened support from society and healthcare professionals.
Patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) face additional challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic spreading. It is crucial to perform a qualitative synthesis to gather, evaluate, and combine the existing qualitative findings as evidence for developing interventions. Therefore, this review aimed to present the experience of HIV-infected patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Material and Methods:
Meta-aggregation approach enabled the analysis of studies published in English between January 2020 and July 2023, while methodological quality of studies was evaluated using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) qualitative assessment and review instrument. Dependability and credibility of synthesized findings were assessed with ConQual guide. Five thematic content analyses and three phenomenological studies with an overall quality score of 70-100% were included.
Results:
The effective synthesis and aggregation of research findings from 213 participants in the eligible studies resulted in three distinct categories. Psychological distress, HIV care management, and social support were the three composite categories obtained from the results of qualitative studies. The ConQual score showed that two synthesized findings had a moderate rating.
Conclusions:
Overall, patients with HIV were challenged due to the advent of COVID-19, including psychological distress and the need for customized disease management. These issues call for heightened support from society and healthcare professionals.
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