Religious coping strategies for people with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) Muslims in Indonesia: A qualitative study with a telling-the-stories

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to find out more about the psycho-social-spiritual problems experienced by People with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) Muslims and their efforts to overcome them by using religious coping. Methods: This research is a qualitative research method with a telling-the-stories approach. This study describes assumptions about the physical/behavioral, social/emotional, cultural/historical, and spiritual aspects related to clinical participants' body, life, and power. In the context of this research, telling the stories from HIV/AIDS patients about how psycho-social-spiritual problems are experienced and efforts to overcome them with religious coping. This study involved 33 HIV/AIDS patients informants at Central General Hospital (RSUP) of Dr. Kariadi Semarang, Central Java with the criteria of being Muslim, medication adherence (ARV therapy). Findings: The results showed that most PLWHA experienced physical complaints such as pain in the early days of taking ARVs, opportunistic infections such as Stevens-Johnson, dizziness, temporary blindness, and body stiffness. Psychological problems including stress, anxiety, fear of death, and guilt. The physical and psychological problems experienced by PLWHA encourage them to use religious coping such as praying, dhikr, and prayer. This religious coping has a calming effect, which impacts reducing physical complaints and overcoming psychological problems. The psychoneuroimmunology pathway can explain the physical and psychological relationship, which shows that favorable psychological conditions trigger the nerves to work optimally to increase immunity. Discussion: In conclusion, religious coping can be used to overcome the bio-psycho-social-religious problems of PLWHA. This strengthens the application of holistic therapy to PLWHA through palliative care to handle pain and other physical complaints and psychosocial-spiritual concerns.

Keywords

• Religious coping strategies
• Psychosocial-spiritual problems
• PLWHA
• Qualitative study