Skip to main content

Reconnecting to Spirituality: Christian-Identified Adolescents and Emerging Adult Young Men’s Journey from Diagnosis of HIV to Coping

Journal of Religion and Health volume 56, pages 188–204 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Spirituality is important to holistic health, yet little is known about its impact on young people with HIV. To address this knowledge deficit, a grounded theory study used semi-structured interviews of 20 Christian-identified adolescent and emerging adult gay males and one perinatally infected male. This study revealed that, to cope with HIV health issues, participants used a process of reconnecting with their spirituality. In order to successfully reconnect with their spirituality, study participants reported a need to re-embrace and re-engage in spiritual practices, hold onto hope, believe they are normal, and commit to beliefs and practices despite rejection from the church.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1

References

  • American Fact finder (2010). Fact sheets. Bureau of the Census. Retrieved from www.factfinder.census.gov.

  • Anandarajah, G. & Hight, E. (2001). Spirituality and medical practice: Using the hope questions as a practice tool for spiritual assessment. Journal of the American Academy of Family Physicians, 63, 81–89. Retrieved from www.aafp.org.

  • Arnett, J. J., & Jensen, L. A. (2002). A congregation of one: Individual religious beliefs among emerging adults. Journal of Adolescent Research, 17, 451–467. doi:10.1177/0743558402175002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, K., D’Angelo, L. J., & Lyon, M. E. (2012). As explanatory study of HIV+ adolescents’ spirituality: Will you pray with me? Journal of Religious Health, 52, 1253–1266. doi:10.1007/s10943-012-9565-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bryant, A., & Charmaz, K. (2007). The Sage handbook of grounded theory. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Casarez, R. L. P., & Miles, M. S. (2008). Spirituality: A cultural strength for African-American mother with HIV. Clinical Nursing Research, 17, 118–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). HIV among youth. Retrieved www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/HIVAmongYouth.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Youth risk behavior surveillance. Retrieved www.cdc.gov/healtyyouth/yrbs/index.html.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). HIV/AIDS statistics and surveillance in “What CDC is Saying about Surveillance.” Retrieved www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/surveillance/index.html.

  • Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehrlich, S. D. (2013). Spirituality. University Maryland Medical Center, Retrieved from http://health.marylandgeneral.org/altmed/articles/spirituality-000360.htm.

  • Foster, M. L., Arnold, E., Rebchook, G., & Kegeles, S. M. (2011). “It’s my inner strength”: Spirituality, religion and HIV in the lives of young African American men who have sex with men. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 13(9), 1103–1117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harawa, N. T., Williams, J. K., Ramamurthi, H. C., Manago, C., Avina, S., & Jones, M. (2008). Sexual behavior, sexual identity, and substance abuse among low-income bisexual and non-gay-identifying African American men who have sex with men. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 37, 748–762.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Holloway, I., & Wheeler, S. (2010). Qualitative research in nursing and healthcare (3rd ed.). Oxford, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ironson, G., Stuetzle, R., & Fletcher, M. A. (2006). An increase in religiousness/spirituality occurs after HIV diagnosis and predicts slower disease progression over 4 years in people with HIV. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 21, 62–68. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00648x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H. G. (2011). Spirituality and health research: Methods, measurements, statistics and resources. West Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorenz, K. A., Hays, R. D., Shapiro, M. F., Cleary, P. D., Asch, S. M., & Wenger, N. S. (2005). Religiousness and spirituality among HIV-infected Americans. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 8, 774–781. doi:10.1089/jpm.2005.8.774.

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lyon, M. E., Garvie, P. A., Kao, E., Briggs, L., He, J., Malow, R., & McCarter, R. (2011). Spirituality in HIV-infected adolescents and their families: FAmily CEntered (FACE) Advance Care Planning and medication adherence. Journal of Adolescent Health, 48, 633–636. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.09.00697.2006.00642.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Park, J., & Nachman, S. (2010). The link between religion and HAART adherence in pediatric HIV Patients. AIDS Care, 22, 556–561. doi:10.1080/09540120903254013.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pew Research Center. (2015). Religious Landscape Study. Retrieved from http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/.

  • Roehlkepartain, E. C., Benson, P. L., King, P. E., & Wagener, L. M. (2005). The Handbook of spiritual development in children and adolescence. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saldaña, J. (2009). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, C., & Denton, M. L. (2005). Soul searching: The religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, L. (2005). Cognitive and affective development in adolescence. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9(2), 69–74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szaflarski, M., Ritchey, P. N., Leonard, A. C., Mrus, J. M., Peterman, A. H., Ellison, C. G., & Tsevat, J. (2006). Modeling the effects of spirituality/religion on patients’ perceptions of living with HIV/AIDS. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 21, 26–38. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00646.x.

  • Trevino, K. M., Pargament, K. I., Cotton, S., Leonard, A. C., Hahn, J., Caprini-Faigin, C. A., & Tsevat, J. (2010). Religious coping and physiological, psychological, social and spiritual outcomes in patients with HIV/AIDS: Cross-sectional and longitudinal findings. AIDS Behavior, 14, 379–389. doi:10.1007/s10461-007-9332-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whittemore, R., Chase, S. K., & Mandle, C. L. (2001). Validity in qualitative research. Qualitative Health Research, 11, 522–535. doi:10.1177/104973201129119299.

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woodard, E. K., & Richard, S. (2001). God in control: Women’s perspective on managing HIV infection. Clinical Nursing Research, 10, 233–250. doi:10.1177/10547730122158905.

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The first author would like to thank the participants and staff at both clinical sites who participated in this research. She would also like to thank Bruce Smith for editing the manuscript and JoAnn Walls for professional transcriptionist services. This research was support by Sigma Theta Tau International Dr. Sandra Wise Founder’s Scholarship, the University of California San Francisco Alumni Century Club Fund, and the University of California San Francisco Graduate Research Award.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hahn School of Nursing, University of San Diego, 10146 Challenger Circle, Spring Valley, San Diego, CA, 91978-2016, USA

    Sharon T. Smith

  2. Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, University of California San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, CA, USA

    Jennifer Blanchard

  3. Madge M. Jones Professor, University of Virginia School of Nursing, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Susan Kools

  4. The To Help Everyone Clinic, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Derrick Butler

Authors
  1. Sharon T. Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jennifer Blanchard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Susan Kools
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Derrick Butler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sharon T. Smith.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Smith, S.T., Blanchard, J., Kools, S. et al. Reconnecting to Spirituality: Christian-Identified Adolescents and Emerging Adult Young Men’s Journey from Diagnosis of HIV to Coping. J Relig Health 56, 188–204 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-016-0245-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-016-0245-4

Keywords

  • Adolescent
  • Emerging adults
  • HIV
  • Spirituality