Access to Mental Healthcare in People Living with HIV in Northern Indiana: An Appreciative Inquiry
Location: Northern Indiana, U.S.A.
Alumni: Jocelyn Keranen
Faculty: Heidi Beidinger
People living with HIV and a Mental Health Diagnosis (PLWH/MHD) have a unique set of challenges when accessing mental health care. In the state of Indiana, the prevalence of those with mental illness in PLWH is 50% (Indiana State Department of Health, 2016). This phenomenological study looks at the lived experiences of PLWH/MHD when accessing mental health care in Northern Indiana. Eight participants were selected to tell their experiences in accessing mental health care in a semi-structured interview. Participants of this study are all clients of AIDS Ministries/AIDS Assist (AM/AA), a local AIDS organization located in South Bend, Indiana. As part of the study, an appreciative inquiry was used to highlight best practices of participants. Practices that enabled participants to access mental health care were noted in 10 significant themes. Though most themes included positive behaviors, some themes highlighted negative experiences participants had to endure prior to getting mental health care.