Re-envisioning Vulnerability in HIV Care. Lived Experience, Emotional Meaning, and Service Innovation

Despite major advances in HIV treatment, people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Europe continue to face emotional vulnerability, persistent stigma, and social marginalisation. These lived and emotional dimensions are underexplored in both research and policy, limiting the effectiveness of person-centred care and contributing to healthcare avoidance, mental distress, and reduced quality of life. This interdisciplinary project addresses this gap by exploring how PLHIV in Finland interpret and navigate support systems—such as healthcare services, peer networks, and family—through the lens of stigma, emotional harm, and lived experience. Drawing on phenomenological-hermeneutics, Customer-Dominant Logic (CDL), and Value Co-Destruction (VCD) theory, the fellow will conduct in-depth narrative interviews with a diverse sample of PLHIV. The study will: (1) investigate how PLHIV experience and interpret support; (2) identify when and how support unintentionally causes emotional harm; (3) explore how these experiences impact mental health and social connectedness; and (4) translate insights into actionable recommendations for emotionally safe and inclusive services and policies. The project directly supports EU goals under the EU HIV Action Plan 2024–2029, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and Horizon Europe’s Health Cluster by generating evidence for non-discriminatory, person-centred care. Findings will inform academic publications, co-created policy briefs, and a practical framework for inclusive support. The fellowship includes structured training in qualitative methods, emotional trauma ethics, service design, and open science. It will strengthen the fellow’s interdisciplinary expertise and establish long-term collaborations with service researchers, NGOs, and public health actors. The project enhances Europe’s capacity for equitable care and advances scientific, societal, and policy impact, particularly in HIV care and support for vulnerable populations.