Quantitative Study on Individual Representations in Senegalese Patients Living with HIV (PLHIV)

Context: HIV infection is an infectious, viral, chronic disease described as a public health problem.It has an impact on bio-psycho-social well-being.Thus, the objective of our study is to decrypt the representations of HIV infection in our patients.Methodology: 31 consecutively recruited HIV-infected patients participated in our study.The completed questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, association membership, psycho-social aspects of HIV infection, mode of transmission and adherence to antiretroviral treatment.Secondly, we proceeded to an assessment of the psychological state of the patient.Results: Almost 77% of HIV patients do not date peers in an association.At the time of the study, more than half of patients or 19/31 with HIV had a positive image of the disease.Before the diagnosis of the disease, more than 2/3 of patients with HIV, i.e. 25/31, have a negative image of the