Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

First Advisor

Richard Walsh-Bowers

Advisor Role

Thesis Supervisor

Abstract

In this thesis I examine the doctor-client relationship from the perspective of gay men living with HIV. I asked six gay men living with HIV the following open-ended question “Could you tell me about the relationship you have with your physician?” during in-depth interviews. I used narrative analysis to interpret the verbatim transcriptions of each interview. In the findings section I present each man’s story in his own words supplemented with my interpretative comments. The findings revealed that gay men living with HIV had both positive and negative experiences in their relationships with physicians. I identified two contrasting themes: connection versus disconnection and empowerment versus disempowerment which capture the overall experiences of the men. I presented the findings from four interviews to medical residents at the University of Western Ontario for the purpose of educating fixture physicians about the doctor-client relationship for gay men living with HIV. l conclude with thoughts for future research into this understudied topic and with personal reflections of the meaning of this thesis for me.

Convocation Year

1999

Convocation Season

Fall

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