Aim: to describe the relationship of
adolescents that live with the
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (
HIV ) and their
self-care practices.
Methodology: This is a descriptive study, based on the Orem's
Self-care General Theory, performed with nine
adolescents ,
patients of the
Sexually Transmitted Diseases ward of a
hospital located in the city of Fortaleza,
Brazil . The interpretation of this study was based on the
analysis of the content found.
Results: Family support ,
health professionals and
friends ,
mass media and intrinsic
motivation were mentioned as
self-care stimulus. The barriers found were
prejudice and
shame , ineffective adaptation and lack of information.
Discussion: Through the
education in
health as assisting practice of this context, it is possible to promote
strategies of specific
self-care inside the sociocultural
environment of the
adolescents .
Conclusion: It is a duty to
health professionals, especially the
nurses , to join efforts in order to improve the
strategies that aim to engage
HIV -positive
adolescents in the use of
self-care practices.