Objective: To identify and explore the dimensions of the difficulties faced by people living with HIV/Aids in the disease management. Methods: A qualitative, descriptive, exploratory study was developed in Specialized Care Services, with 26 patients. The recorded interviews were transcribed, and then processed and analyzed by means of descending hierarchical classification. Findings were based on the collective subject discourse. Results: Five classes were obtained: "Intrafamilial prejudice and its impact on coping with the disease"; "Social prejudice: macro environment impacts"; "Difficulties in managing the risk of HIV/Aids transmission and its implications on partnerships", "Maintenance of high rates of HIV/ Aids treatment adherence: qualifying the service" and "Quality of life promotion for people living with HIV/Aids". Conclusion: The difficulties experienced go far beyond the disease, with central, intimate aspects, and are linked to prejudice, which hinders their personal, professional and affective development, expanding into abstract macro-concepts such as quality of life. ResumoObjetivo: Identificar e explorar as dimensões das dificuldades enfrentadas por Pessoas Vivendo com HIV/Aids no manejo da doença. Métodos: Estudo descritivo, exploratório, de abordagem qualitativa desenvolvido em Serviços de Atendimento Especializado, com 26 pacientes. As entrevistas gravadas foram transcritas e posteriormente, processadas analisadas pela Classificação Hierárquica Descendente. Os achados foram fundamentados no Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo. Resultados: Obteve-se cinco classes: "O preconceito intrafamiliar e seu impacto no enfrentamento da doença"; "Preconceito social: os impactos do macroambiente"; "As dificuldades em gerenciar o risco de transmissão do HIV/Aids e as implicações em parcerias", "A manutenção de altas taxas de adesão ao tratamento do HIV/Aids: qualificando o serviço" e " Promovendo a qualidade de vida em pessoas vivendo com HIV/Aids". Conclusão: As dificuldades experienciadas vão muito além da doença, tomando aspectos íntimos, centrais ligadas ao preconceito, que impede seu desenvolvimento pessoal, profissional e afetivo expandindo-se a macro-conceitos abstratos como qualidade de vida.

Objective: to develop and validate an educational technology for individuals living with the human immunodeficiency virus. Method: a methodological study, for the elaboration of educational material. The educational needs, content selection, and illustrations were defined from interviews with the target population. Afterward, we carried the writing, the material layout elaboration, and assembly and, subsequently, it was validated by specialists. The content validation was established from the Level Content Validity Index higher than 0.8. Results: the educational material was prepared for adults living with the human immunodeficiency virus, with a focus on health promotion and quality of life, and was prepared in five volumes. The validation was made by 22 multi-professional judges selected according to the criteria established in the study. All items were evaluated as relevant by the judges and the average obtained with the index was 0.97. Conclusion: the booklet has been validated in terms of content, language, and appearance by experts in the field. We believe that through this technology it is possible to contribute to the health literacy and empowerment of individuals living with the human immunodeficiency virus, strengthening their autonomy.

Objective: To analyze the somatic and affective-cognitive symptoms of depression according to the sex of people living with HIV/AIDS. Methods: Analytic study developed at specialized care services in Ribeirão Preto-SP, including a sample of 331 participants. To collect the data, a sociodemographic characterization tool and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) were used. Results: Among the interviewees, 50.4% were male, 52.1% of whom in the age range between 20 and 35 years. Higher education (p=0.001) and lower income (<0.001) were found for the women and more comorbidities (p=0.004) for the men. It was identified that the women presented higher mean depression scores in the somatic (p<0.001) as well as in the affective/cognitive domains (p<0.001). Conclusion: These study results appoint that the women present higher depressive symptom scores than the man, in the somatic as well as in the affective/cognitive domains of the BDI subscales. ResumoObjetivo: Analisar os sintomas somáticos e afetivo-cognitivos de depressão segundo o sexo de pessoas que vivem com HIV/AIDS. Métodos: Estudo analítico realizado em serviços de atendimento especializado em Ribeirão Preto-SP, com amostra de 331 participantes. Para coleta de dados foram utilizados instrumento de caracterização sociodemográfica e o Inventário de Depressão de Beck (BDI). Resultados: Dos entrevistados, 50,4% eram do sexo masculino e destes, 52,1% estavam na faixa etária de 20 a 35 anos. As mulheres apresentaram maior escolaridade (p=0,001) e menor renda (<0,001), e os homens apresentaram mais comorbidades (p=0,004). Identificou-se que as mulheres apresentaram maiores médias de escores de depressão, tanto no domínio somático (p<0,001) quanto no afetivo/cognitivo (p<0,001). Conclusão: Os resultados deste estudo apontam que as mulheres apresentam maiores escores de sintomatologia depressiva do que os homens, tanto no domínio somático quanto no afetivo/cognitivo das subescalas do IDB.