Bennett Jill
Palliative Care Community Nurse, Mercy Hospice, Auckland.
Nurs Prax N Z. 2007 Jul;23(1):4-16.
This paper draws on current and earlier literature, together with observational and anecdotal data to reveal the situation of HIV positive women in New Zealand. The present picture is examined in relation to data from a previously unpublished qualitative study undertaken by the author in 2001 using a feminist perspective. It would seem that dominant concerns of the women today are much the same as those surfacing in the earlier study. These include stigma and the associated problem of whether to conceal or reveal. Additionally these women are concerned that health professionals do not always take their problems seriously. Their distress is aggravated by fact of them being women suffering from what is generally seen as a male disease. The feminist perspective highlights the relative powerlessness of many women in the context of sexual relations whereby much of the prophylactic advice--such as insistence on condom use--becomes irrelevant. New women oriented education programmes are needed. It is argued that nurses are well placed to make a positive contribution in this area of care, and in fact are obligated to do so if their practice is to be consistent with the profession's declared aims with respect to cultural safety. However it is noted that there is still a degree of prejudice and ignorance to be overcome before the desired results will be achieved.
本文借鉴了当前和早期的文献，以及观察数据和轶事数据，以揭示新西兰艾滋病毒呈阳性女性的状况。结合作者2001年采用女性主义视角进行的一项此前未发表的定性研究的数据，对当前情况进行了审视。如今这些女性的主要担忧似乎与早期研究中浮现的担忧大致相同。这些担忧包括耻辱感以及隐瞒或披露病情这一相关问题。此外，这些女性担心医疗专业人员并不总是认真对待她们的问题。她们身为女性却患有通常被视为男性疾病的情况，加剧了她们的痛苦。女性主义视角凸显了许多女性在性关系背景下的相对无力感，在此情况下，许多预防性建议，比如坚持使用避孕套，变得毫无意义。需要新的面向女性的教育项目。有人认为护士在这一护理领域能够做出积极贡献，事实上，如果她们的实践要与该职业在文化安全方面宣称的目标保持一致，她们就有义务这样做。然而需要注意的是，在取得预期成果之前，仍有一定程度的偏见和无知有待克服。
