DATA COLLECTION METHOD

To understand the psychosocial challenges and the coping mechanisms of PLHIV in

Surigao City, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) will be conducted with those who are receiving
Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) at Caraga Regional Hospital HIV Treatment Hub. Qualitative data will
be collected through this mode of data collection as the aim of the study will be to gain a
phenomenological understanding of the lived experiences of people living with HIV and the group
dynamic could provide potentially richer data than could individual interviews with regard to the
phenomena of interest. To ensure participation and commitment from the cooperating agency
(Caraga Regional Hospital- HIV Treatment Hub), the research proposal will first be presented to
them. If approved, the researchers will then seek assistance from the focal person of the HIV Hub
to gather the PLHIV currently receiving ART for a scheduled meeting to disclose the nature of the
research and their participation in the study. Included also in the meeting will be the provision of
informed assent and parental/ caregiver consent (if below 18 years of age). They will then be
advised as to when the first session for FGD will commence.
Semi-structured interview guides that will be based on a phenomenological framework
will be developed with open-ended questions to investigate the key areas needed in the study
such as the psychosocial factors and their coping strategies. Respondents will be asked to
describe the varied challenges they have encountered since learning of their HIV status. Follow-
up probes will be utilized in order to elicit HIV-related challenges if not spontaneously mentioned.
Subsequently, respondents will be asked to describe how they address these challenges and what
coping strategies they have employed.
All conducted FGDs will be audio-taped. Moreover, FGD sessions will conclude when all
emerging themes have been adequately explored by facilitator. The tapes will then be
transcribed verbatim, removing any personal identifying information, to have it available for data
scrutiny using an Open Thematic Analysis approach.