Jason Myers, a PHD student at Auckland University, is two years into research on the day-to-day lives of Aucklanders living with HIV – and he's looking for more participants to step forward. Text messages from Myers' HIV+ friend in 2004 got the research student thinking about the relationship between living with HIV and experiences of everyday life. “Texts like: ‘My meds are giving me s**t today… I just spent ten minutes wandering around looking for my car and I am not even on the right level' and ‘I'm one f****d unit… going to have to get them (meds) changed… I can't go on like this… I am meant to be studying and cant even read'. “They got me thinking about the clear frustration that my friend was experiencing while trying to carry out even the most mundane of day-to-day tasks.” Entitled ‘Health, place and emotions: tales of MSM living with HIV in Auckland, the research seeks to give voice to the everyday experiences of HIV for MSM living with the virus in the Auckland area. “I have spoken to eight men and would like about eight more,” the researcher explains. Myers employs a multi-faceted research methodology in which he sees himself more as a facilitator of the research than a controller. “First, I interview participants asking them questions about how HIV affects their everyday life,” he explains. “Second, I supply participants with a disposable camera, a small notebook and a pen and I ask them to keep brief diary notes while taking accompanying photographs of their life as an HIV positive person. This phase of the research is designed to get participants thinking about their lives with HIV in a more hands on and reflective way and to ask them to share those reflections with me. Third, I meet participants one final time to discuss the diary entries and accompanying photographs.” Potential participants should note that confidentiality is considered paramount throughout the research process and that complete anonymity is assured. Myers offers MTA vouchers to the value of $80 to each participant to thank them for their time. If you are HIV positive, identify as MSM, and live in the Auckland area then please do not hesitate to get in touch with Jason Myers on email at j.myers@auckland.ac.nz. Ref: GayNZ.com (m)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 6th February 2007 - 12:00pm