New study explores emotional experiences of people living with HIV in Finland

The project at Hanken’s Centre for Relationship Marketing and Service Management (CERS) explores how individuals with HIV make use of support systems such as healthcare, peer networks, and family, and why well intended support sometimes leads to emotional harm or feelings of shame.

“I want to understand what makes support genuinely helpful from the perspective of people living with HIV, and how negative experiences can affect mental wellbeing and social connectedness. The project draws on theories from service research to better capture the lived experiences that are often overlooked in policy and practice”, says Apostolou.

The work contributes to the EU HIV Action Plan 2024–2029 by producing new insights for more person-centred care. Hanken researchers involved in the project, Johanna Gummerus and Larissa Becker, look forward to working with Apostolou.

"We feel this is a great project, aligned with CERS  research on societal inequalities. The aim is to promote a more understanding and inclusive society for people living with HIV and to support the development of nondiscriminatory health and social services."