Table 2.
Social/Psychological themes.
| Category | Theme | Common topics |
|---|---|---|
| Appraisal and Emotional Support | Serostatus disclosure | Seeking and offering support |
| Relationship difficulties | How to disclose and to whom | |
| Negative affect | Care | |
| Concern | ||
| Encouragement | ||
| Advice | ||
| Negotiating partners’ HIV testing | ||
| Expression and management of emotional distress | ||
| Informational Support | Medical concerns | Advice |
| HIV and Pregnancy Myths | Information exchange | |
| Pregnancy health behaviours | ||
| HIV transmission during pregnancy and delivery | ||
| Taking ARV | ||
| HIV and breastfeeding | ||
| Diet and physical health | ||
| Spiritual Support | Coping | Spirituality and coping |
| Encouraging faith and prayer | ||
| Religiosity as comfort | ||
| HIV Acceptance and Disclosure | Coping with HIV status Stigma | Managing grief |
| Denial | ||
| Mistrust of health care system | ||
| Openness and acceptance | ||
| Stigma associated with HIV diagnosis and barrier to disclosure | ||
| Gratefulness for the Group | Benefits | Group assisted with coping |
| Built courage to disclose | ||
| Gained valuable information | ||
| Helped to manage suicidal ideation |