Employment-related concerns of HIV-positive people in the Netherlands: input for a multidisciplinary guideline

PURPOSE: Finding and keeping employment is difficult for people with HIV. To improve supportive care for people with HIV and employment-related problems, a multidisciplinary guideline was developed in the Netherlands in 2010/2011. To identify the employment-related concerns of people with HIV and to formulate the key questions for the guideline, we conducted a qualitative study. The results of this study are described in this article.

METHODS: This study was performed in three HIV-treatment centers in the Netherlands. In total 18 participants participated in three focus-group interviews and nine participants were interviewed individually. The data were transcribed ad verbatim and were analyzed according to the principle of constant comparison.

RESULTS: Our findings indicate that people with HIV in the Netherlands face many work-related concerns. The themes which emerged from this study were disclosure, stigma and discrimination, knowledge about HIV, physical and psychological factors, working conditions, absenteeism, reintegration, and dismissal and counselling.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insight into employment-related concerns for people with HIV living in a Western country. It formed the basis for the key questions which were addressed in a multidisciplinary, evidence-based guideline "HIV and work". Finally, it gives leads for further scientific research and opportunities for improving the vocational guidance of people with HIV.