Stigma in the HIV and AIDS Pandemic - Term Paper Example

?Formulate a research Stigma and Discrimination in the HIV and AIDS Pandemic: A Qualitative Examination Develop a research problem. What is the experience of HIV/AIDS patients in relation to stigma and discrimination? Formulate a research purpose. The research aims to present information with regards to the experience of HIV/AIDS patients with regards to the possible stigma and discrimination they may have undergone due to their health conditions. Formulate specific research Objectives. The research aims to address the following objectives: 1. To gather and present secondary data, thereby creating recognition of stigma and discrimination among HIV/AIDS patients, such as its causes and effects; 2. To collect primary data among HIV/AIDS patients through interviews and examine their experiences with stigma and discrimination; and 3. To establish conclusions and recommendations based on the primary and secondary data collected in relation to the occurrence of stigma and discrimination among HIV/AIDS patients, including coping or prevention strategies. Describe the main characteristics of the philosophical and epistemological foundations of the qualitative research paradigm. The research will make use of a qualitative approach. This approach is derived from the principles of phenomenology and interpretivism. It emphasizes the points of view and personal meaning that has been linked to the experiences of the participant. It is a type of research commonly applied for qualitative phenomenon, examining attitudes, behavior, occurrences, and other observable facts such as ethnicity, gender, and age. It is non-numerical, thereby utilizing reasoning rather on focusing on statistical tests and analysis. This approach examines patterns in order to describe a phenomenon. According to Myers (2000), qualitative research is a means for researchers to be aware of and define the world through experience; moreover, as it should provide a viewpoint for a certain phenomenon, researchers who make use of this approach should possess and demonstrate skills in accurately describing experiences. Moreover, it has been suggested by Polit and Beck (2004) that a qualitative research approach should possess several characteristics such as being detailed and descriptive, that it makes use of words and not numbers, and that its data analysis should be subjective. Therefore, being able to interpret the events and one’s observations should not be influenced by bias. Qualitative research is a kind of empirical study that is interpretative or naturalistic, thereby observing the variables being studied in their natural environment, without manipulation (Denzin and Lincoln 2003). It is also applicable for the current study because of its adaptability in following unexpected ideas as well as its ability to examine processes. It is also sensitive to situational-based factors and can explore social meaning. Moreover, the qualitative approach is appropriate for studies that develop empirically supported ideas and theories, or in-depth researches (Polit and Beck 2004). A qualitative research also is primarily concerned with processes rather than the products or outcomes. The researcher immerses him or herself into the field and physically interacts and observes the subjects (Creswell 2004). Explain why the qualitative research paradigm is suitable considering the stated topic. Qualitative research seeks out and answers the questions “why” and “how”, making it suitable for the researcher to obtain a comprehensive view of the occurrence of stigma among HIV/AIDS patients. It is commonly applied in researcher in order to gain insight into the attitudes, value systems, concerns, motivations, aspirations, cultures or lifestyles of groups of individuals. It can serve as important sources of information for business decisions, policy information, communication and researches. Data are usually gathered from focus groups, in-depth interviews, content analysis, ethnography, or evaluations (Creswell 2004). Because of these methods, the researcher will be able to obtain responses in relation to stigma and HIV/AIDS patients in an insightful manner. Propose a suitable research design for the study (the main characteristics of the design; why it is suitable for the study). According to Creswell (2003), a research design is the structure and strategy of a study that serves as a guide to answering questions and problems that the research has put forth. It is the backbone of the research that will establish connections among the chapters and acts as a guide on the how the purpose of the study can be achieved and how each research question can be answered. The research design is an essential component of one’s study, as Ruane (2003) noted. The current study will use a descriptive research design which is a type of research design wherein the main focus is exploring observable facts such as age, sex, occupation, or education. It specifically answers questions like who, what, when, where, and how. It is factual and simple although it demands great scientific skills from the researcher. A descriptive research design is also structured and inflexible; therefore, it is important that the problems, data gathering procedures, and type of data gathered are consistent. A descriptive research design is limited to describing events, phenomenon or the attributes of a group of individuals. It cannot identify cause-and-effect relationships between variables, hence its applicability for definite purposes (Polit and Beck 2004). This form of research design can enable the researcher to gather a wide range of information in relation to the population and the phenomenon being examined, in this case the occurrence of stigma in HIV/AIDS patients. The importance of research design has also been asserted; first, it has been indicated that a research study is a coherent process. Therefore, data gathering procedures and the data itself should be consistent with the problems that the study aims to investigate. Second, the research design assists the researcher in clarifying the questions, purpose of the study, problems and what have already been known regarding the problem. Next, a proper research design allows the researcher to gather the correct data that should be used in the study as well as the suitable amount of the data necessary to obtain proper results. Finally, the research design enables the researcher to properly analyze the data gathered. Propose the sampling procedures. Sampling refers to the means of selecting units from a target population; this can be categorized into probability and non-probability types of sampling. The current study will use snow ball sampling that has been categorized under the non-probability sampling. Aside from this type of sampling, purposive sampling has been used because those individuals referred to the researchers had been chosen in adherence to a certain criteria that will enable them to earn their way into being included in the sample (Henry 1990). Purposive sampling requires that the individuals included in the sample demonstrate a number of attributes characteristics that will make them worthy of providing information with regards to the variables that are being examined. Before the respondents are to be selected, the researcher should establish the criteria for recruitment. If the recruited individuals are capable of meeting the standards that have been set, it is highly expected of them to provide the data desired by the researcher for the accomplishment of research objectives. The inclusion criteria are the following: a patient who was diagnosed of HIV/AIDS and has experienced the condition for more than a year; and has given permission to participate in the study by submitting the consent forms. All in all, the researcher aims to select 10 participants to undergo the interviews and examine their experience of being HIV/AIDS patients in relation to possible stigma occurrences. Propose data gathering procedures. Data gathering procedures started with the collection of relevant secondary data from available literature. Secondary data is a type of data that is gathered and collected by another individual for various purposes (Boslaugh 2007). Because it is second-hand data, it can include data from existing journals, books, medical records, administrative records, official statistics, diaries, video recordings, and transcripts. In searching for online publications, the keywords that can be used may include the following: “HIV and stigma worldwide”; “stigma in HIV/AIDS patients”; “perspectives of HIV/AIDS patients”; “causes and effects of stigma in HIV/AIDS patients”; and “prevention strategies for stigma in HIV/AIDS patients”. After the collection of secondary data, gathering of primary data will be carried out. For selecting the sample, the Mildmay Hospital in East London will be contacted by the researcher to aid in finding relevant participants. Through a purposive sampling procedure, 10 interested participants will be chosen in order to go through interviews which are the primary means of gathering data. Interviews can have an advantage as it enables the respondents to provide their answers in a more descriptive and insightful manner. Furthermore, interviews provide these individuals with time to clearly express their views and opinions in relation to the construct being investigated (Creswell 1994). Focus group discussions are also known to be a common method for gathering data in a qualitative manner. With this method, participants are divided into groups to share their ideas on certain questions. However, these discussions based on grouped individuals are likely to draw out responses that are socially desirable and may affect their reliability and integrity. The establishment of trust with the participants is of great importance to the researcher. Nonetheless, in the interviews that will be conducted for the study, a number of questions will be raised, such as: 1. “How is the stigma towards people infected by HIV and AIDS manifested? Can this occur in differential treatment, loss of identity, gossip or any other means you can think of?” 2. “Does gender, status, or geographical location influence a patient’s experience of stigma?” 3. “If you have experienced stigma owing to your health condition, what are your coping strategies?” Additionally, in order to make the role of the respondents official in this research, the researcher will send consent forms to the respondents, allowing the former to continue on with the study (Bryman 2001). Propose data analysis. The qualitative data gathered through the interviews during the research process will be analyzed through a thematic analysis with the findings being analyzed according to themes (Leary 1995). The analysis of data may tend to be a continuing process which can also have effect during the actual process of gathering data. The researcher will consequently reflect on the themes which may come about during data gathering, and allow opportunities for modifying the methods if required. Propose measures to enhance the trustworthiness of the proposed study. It is critical for the researcher to incorporate ethical practices into the research process in order to support and protect the rights of the study’s participants. The personal data that will be gathered from the construction managers will not be made known to any third party and will be held in strict confidence. Moreover, the respondents should be reassured about their anonymity (Shamoo & Resnik 2009). The researcher will also inform the participating individuals about their freedom to either proceed or pull out from the research. They should be assured that any decision will be regarded with respect and that they will not be reprimanded for their choice. The researcher also aims to establish a connection with the participants for them to be comfortable in going through the interviews. An environment wherein trust and confidence are present can increase the likelihood for participants to be more honest with their responses (Shamoo & Resnik 2009). Through the observation of such ethical procedures observed, the study further increased the soundness of the research outcomes. Conclusion The current study will make use of a qualitative approach to research and apply a descriptive research design. Data will be gathered though interviews that will be conducted among 10 participants from Mildmay Hospital in East London while thematic analysis will be used for interpreting the results. The use of such procedures aims to assist the researcher in addressing the main objective of examining the experience of stigma among HIV/AIDS patients. Ethical considerations will also be incorporated into the research process to further increase the reliability of results. References Boslaugh, S 2007, Secondary data sources for public health, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Bryman, A 2001, Social research methods, Oxford University Press, Oxford Creswell, J 1994, Research design: Qualitative and quantitative approaches, Sage Publications, London. Creswell, J 2003, Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA. Creswell, J 2004, Educational research: planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ Denzin, N, and Lincoln, Y 2003, The landscape of qualitative research: theories and issues, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA. Henry, GT 1990, Practical sampling, Sage Publications, London. Leary, MR 1995, Introduction to behavioral research methods, John Wiley, New York. Myers, M 2000, Qualitative research and the generalizability question, The Qualitative Report, vol. 4, no. 3-4, Available at: http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR4-3/myers.html Polit, DF, and Beck, CT 2004, Nursing research: Principles and methods, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, PA. Ruane, J 2003, Essentials of research methods: a guide to social research, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ.   Shamoo, A & Resnik, D 2009, Responsible conduct of research, Oxford University Press, England. Read More