Representações sociais de mulheres em situação de cárcere sobre a Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida

Abstract

Objective: to understand the social representations of imprisoned women on Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Methods: qualitative study conducted with 32 women imprisoned in a rehabilitation center. The Free Association of Words Test was used, with inductive stimuli such as “Human Immunodeficiency Virus” and “Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome”. Data were processed by the EVOC software and analyzed in light of the Theory of Social Representations. Results: the elements of the central nucleus of the representation were prevention, fear, death, disease and anguish; the periphery revealed negative aspects regarding the contents. Conclusion: there has been a process of modification in the social representations on the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome with the incorporation of new elements such as the prevention and the reduction of the feeling of imminent death.