HIV as identity, experience or career

Issues of treatment compliance and the relationship between treatments, opt imism and sexual practice are best understood when living with HIV is conce ptualized as a dynamic process requiring individuals to work on their subje ctivity. In an interview study of 76 people living with HIV/AIDS in Austral ia, three 'modes of subjectification' were identified: HIV as identity, HIV as experience and HIV as career. The impact of treatments on individuals w as mediated by the relationship a HIV to selfhood and to community, and too k different forms under each mode of subjectification. HIV as identity was most characteristic of gay men and resulted in failures of compliance or of safe sex being felt as failures of the self. HIV as experience was particu larly characteristic of women and heterosexual men and was associated with a less regimented view of treatment compliance and no association between t reatments optimism and sexual practice. HIV as career, characteristic of bo th gay men and others, was associated with hyper-compliant treatment practi ce and context-dependent sexual practice.