History:
This work has grown from the conversations of two mental health professionals who have worked collectively for more than 30 years with people infected and affected by HIV disease. We were often struck by the power of the accounts and comments we heard in privacy behind closed doors. It became increasingly clear that these powerful and valuable first-person accounts were an unrecognized and underutilized resource in the overall response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Established in 2000, The Positive Project´s goal is to provide a mechanism by which people infected/affected by HIV/AIDS can share their experiences with those who can benefit from hearing them, to use their stories for the greater good. The Project was created to add crucial first-person accounts of the disease back into pre-existing prevention and care efforts. We know that people relate to people and stories are powerful tools. We aim to ensure that this disease does not loose its human face. Through The Positive Project, we are positioned to ask, listen, and utilize what we hear. This work is truly innovative and duplicates no other similar efforts currently known.
Method:
Interview Process
Interviews are videotaped to capture, preserve, and utilize what we have heard. They are conducted face to face in small private settings and typically last between one and two hours. Interview questions reflect a broad range of areas including finding out about diagnosis, coping, medications, social life, prevention, disclosure, testing, etc.
1. Who we interview – We interview people of all ages and backgrounds who are infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS. We welcome partnerships that support our commitment to increase the diversity of those represented in the archive. HIV continues to spread and until there are no more known cases of HIV/AIDS – we aim to continue interviewing.
2. How we interview – We conduct a structured interview with an Interviewer and a Videographer. Questions are primarily qualitative in form, encompassing a wide range of information. Interview formats vary depending on the interviewee´s age, HIV status, and life circumstances
3. The video taped interviews are digitized, edited into individual video clips, and entered into the archive/database. The database can be utilized in a vast range of applications. Materials can be searched by topic, demographics, or both to facilitate making tailored materials for targeted audiences.
