“If You Can Do This Job, You Can Do Anything”: An Exploration of the Lived Experiences of Early Career Social Workers Engaged with People Living with HIV/AIDS

<p>The HIV/AIDS epidemic, now in its fifth decade, is one of the most consequential health, social, scientific, and political challenges of the modern era. Since its emergence, social work has played a critical role in service provision and advocacy on behalf of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Tremendous biomedical advancements over the years have fundamentally transformed HIV from an invariably fatal illness to a chronic and manageable condition. As the profile of HIV has changed over time, less is known about the contemporary experiences of social workers engaged with PLWHA. To address this gap, semi-structured interviews were conducted with early career social workers engaged with PLWHA (n = 22). Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). A modified socioecological model, complemented by life course theory, provides the conceptual framework informing the research process. Findings are organized along the five domains of the socioecological model—individual; interpersonal; organizational; community; and policy and societal. Three unifying themes emerge: making meaning of HIV; social work in the shadows of uncertainty; and HIV as a social work lens. The study explores how early career social workers construct professional identity, make sense of their work and the epidemic, and navigate personal, interpersonal, and structural challenges within shifting biomedical and policy landscapes. Implications, limitations, and strengths are addressed.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Social Work and Social Research

Year

2026

Author dc:creator

• Edwards, John J.

Repository record dc:identifier

https://repository.brynmawr.edu/dissertations/267

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.brynmawr.edu:dissertations-1285