The Disconnected Self: Consequences of Abuse in a Cohort of Low-Income White Women Living with HIV/AIDS

Abstract

An infrequently acknowledged social factor influencing the health of low-income women is a history of physical/emotional abuse. In this article I address how abusive relationships influenced women's self-care practices. In this grounded theory study, vulnerability to abuse was established before diagnosis of HIV infection and promoted "lingering images" of a damaged self. The damaged self-images that grew out of abusive relationships provided a barrier to self-care. Data analysis uncovered a core category of disconnection from self-care. Experiences of being cared for, particularly the care of health professionals, offered supportive relationships that encouraged women to care for themselves through self-care practices.