Analyzing the Role of Social Workers in Supporting People Living With HIV in New York City During the 1990s

Abstract

Social workers play a crucial role in empowering people living with HIV (PLHIV) and their family members. This qualitative study aimed to reflect social workers’ experiences working with PLHIV in New York City in the 1990s. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry method and convenience sampling technique, two social workers who experienced working with PLHIV in New York City in the 1990s were interviewed for this study. Findings revealed that since the beginning of the epidemic, social workers have played crucial roles in providing a range of psychosocial services for PLHIV, including individual therapy and support groups. Furthermore, social workers acted as advocates who demanded social rights and social justice for the HIV population. Finally, social workers, in the early discovery of HIV, collaborated with the community of PLHIV to establish some of the early nonprofit organizations to overcome the structural barriers, including gender inequity and stigma, for PLHIV to live well.