Lived Experiences of Social Isolation and Meaningful Relationships Among Older Adults Living with HIV with a Concurrent Mental Health Diagnosis: A Heideggerian Phenomenological Approach

TL;DR

Older adults with HIV and mental health issues face social isolation shaped by stigma and context, and meaningful relationships are built on trust and shared experiences.

Contribution

This study uniquely explores social isolation and relationships among older adults with HIV and mental health diagnoses using a Heideggerian phenomenological approach.

Findings

Social isolation is experienced both physically and existentially, influenced by stigma, mental health, and contextual factors.

Meaningful relationships are characterized by authenticity, trust, and reciprocity, often formed in peer networks with shared experiences.

Community engagement and virtual platforms help foster connections, while rural settings often intensify isolation.

Abstract

What are the main findings?

Older adults living with HIV and a concurrent mental health diagnosis experience social isolation as both a physical and existential state, shaped by stigma, mental health challenges, and the spatial and cultural contexts of their lives.

Meaningful relationships are defined by authenticity, trust, emotional safety, and reciprocity, often occurring within peer networks of individuals with shared HIV or mental health experiences and facilitated by both community engagement and virtual platforms.

What are the implications of the main findings?

Interventions to reduce social isolation should focus not only on increasing social contact but on creating affirming, context-sensitive spaces that support disclosure, trust, and reciprocal relationships.

Policies and programs targeting older adults with HIV and mental health challenges must consider emotional and identity-related dimensions of social connection, emphasizing validation, agency, and continuity of relational experiences.

Background/Objectives: Meaningful social connections are critical for well-being in later life, yet older adults living with HIV frequently experience social isolation and loneliness, compounded by stigma, mental health conditions, and systemic inequities. This study aimed to explore how older adults living with HIV and a concurrent mental health diagnosis experience social isolation and cultivate meaningful relationships, situating these experiences within Social Convoy Theory. Methods: Using a Heideggerian phenomenological approach, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 33 adults aged 50 and older in Ontario, Canada, who self-identified as living with HIV and a diagnosed mental health condition. Participants were recruited through community-engaged strategies and snowball sampling. Data were analyzed iteratively, combining descriptive and interpretive coding to identify patterns in social isolation, relational meaning, and the influence of intersecting social, structural, and health determinants. Results: Participants described social isolation as both a physical and existential experience, influenced by stigma, mental health challenges, and contextual factors such as urban versus rural settings. Meaningful relationships were characterized by authenticity, trust, emotional safety, and reciprocity, often formed within peer networks sharing similar lived experiences. Community engagement and virtual platforms facilitated connection, while rural or suburban environments often intensified isolation. Relationships providing validation, agency, and continuity of experience were particularly impactful on participants’ well-being. Conclusions: Social isolation among older adults living with HIV and mental health conditions extends beyond objective network measures to include emotional and identity-related dimensions. Interventions should prioritize affirming, context-sensitive spaces that support disclosure, trust, and reciprocal relationships, recognizing the nuanced needs of this population for both social and existential connectedness.