Table II:
Cluster names, cluster ratings of relative importance and the three highest rated statements of relative importance within each cluster for African American/Black adults living with HIV in the southern United States. Clusters are presented according to their orientation on the map.
| Cluster and Statement Ratings of Relative Importancea | |
|---|---|
| Neighborhood Level | |
| Cluster 12: Neighborhood Social Services (n = 8 statements) | 3.30 |
| - There are church services in my neighborhood | 4.36 |
| - There are social support services in my neighborhood | 3.58 |
| - In my neighborhood there is bus transportation so that I can make it to my scheduled appointments | 3.38 |
| Cluster 11: Neighborhood Order (n = 9 statements) | 4.34 |
| - Being able to live in a safe neighborhood environment (like not high crime, police accessible) | 4.64 |
| - Living in a neighborhood where I do not see drugs or alcohol being used outside in my neighborhood | 4.54 |
| - Living in a neighborhood with safe housing | 4.53 |
| Cluster 10: Neighborhood Social Support (n = 4 statements) | 3.51 |
| - My neighbors are friendly | 4.15 |
| - Having neighbors who check in on me and look out for me | 3.68 |
| - When I need something, my neighbors are very helpful when they can be | 3.28 |
| Interpersonal Level: Family/Friends | |
| Cluster 8: Instrumental/Informational Social Support (n = 11 statements) | 3.88 |
| - Friends and family show sense of love and caringb | 4.38 |
| - Asking family members for help when needed | 4.21 |
| - Having close family members who ask what is going on in my life in generalb | 4.21 |
| Cluster 9: Emotional Social Support (n = 8 statements) | 4.33 |
| - My family helps by keeping me in their prayers | 4.69 |
| - My friends and family treat me like anyone else without HIV | 4.64 |
| - Having a strong support system such as family, friends, pastors or peer mentors | 4.59 |
| Individual Level | |
| Cluster 2: Advocacy/No Stigma (n = 4 statements) | 3.83 |
| - I have safe zones where I do not feel stigmatized | 4.46 |
| - I feel like I am an advocate to speak to people about living with HIV | 3.97 |
| - I am involved in the legislative system for funding of medication, Medicaid, and housing for people living with HIV | 3.51 |
| Cluster 6: Religion, Spirituality, Volunteerism (n = 5 statements) | 4.19 |
| - Knowing that this is a personal walk with God and me | 4.90 |
| - Helping others by volunteering | 4.26 |
| - Helping other people living with HIV (e.g., talking, giving encouragement, running errands) | 4.18 |
| Cluster 5: Patient Activation: Medical Care (n = 4 statements) | 4.71 |
| - Having good communication with my doctor | 4.92 |
| - Making taking my medications and attending my visits part of my routine | 4.72 |
| - Asking about any new breakthroughs and medicines with my doctor | 4.68 |
| Cluster 4: Patient Activation: HIV Health Behaviors (n = 9 statements) | 4.60 |
| - Having determination to outlive HIV, and not have it outlive me | 4.90 |
| - Keeping my medications with me when I am away from home | 4.79 |
| - Self-discipline by doing things such as taking medicine at a certain time, eating healthy, not drinking, using drugs or smoking | 4.72 |
| Cluster 7: Self-Care, Compassion and Empathy (n = 20 statements) | 4.73 |
| - My self-confidence | 4.95 |
| - Strong belief in Godb | 4.92 |
| - I accept that I am living with HIV | 4.90 |
| Organizational: Health Care | |
| Cluster 3: HIV-Specific Support Services (n = 3 statements) | 3.22 |
| - Having someone to help me work through my HIV -related depression | 3.69 |
| - I attend a support group with other people who are living with HIV | 3.00 |
| - Having community meetings about things like HIV | 2.95 |
| Cluster 1: Healthcare (n = 10 statements) | 4.47 |
| - Having programs that pay for HIV medications (Ryan White Program) | 4.95 |
| - HIV clinic employees treat me with kindness and compassion | 4.87 |
| - Getting positive feedback from my doctor when I make positive lifestyle changes | 4.74 |
a
Ratings of relative importance range from 1 = relatively unimportant to 5 = extremely important compared to the other statements.
b
These are outlier statements (i.e., not directly related to the main theme of the cluster), however, the cluster labels were unchanged because the labels reflect the overarching, emergent theme from the majority of statements within the cluster.