**6. Conclusions**

As discussed above, HIV is a complex phenomenon in which many aspects (social, cultural, etc.), not only clinical and biological, are interrelated. Intervening factors in the HIV phenom‐ enon include social, economic, political, cultural and environmental aspects. The HIV phe‐ nomenon interacts with lifestyles and practices, as well as with the subjectivities of the population in communities where it develops and spreads. Therefore, it is currently a fact that the epidemiological method is insufficient for providing holistic and hermeneutic knowledge on the issue. For this reason, a primary conclusion of this study is the need for applying other methodologies and theoretical tools to study the phenomenon with the aim of providing such knowledge. Furthermore, this knowledge is a key element for assuring efficient and effective HIV prevention policies and strategic planning. In this sense, sociology and in particular health sociology constitutes a pertinent conceptual and methodological tool for studying the HIV phenomenon in all its complexity. In this sense, it seeks to explain and understand the collective behaviour that occurs in a social context, the meanings of actions and the multicausality of phenomena.

define it as "The systematic description of events, behaviours and artefacts in the social setting chosen for study" [56]. It therefore involves observing the context by means of integrating the researcher into the everyday life of the observed group, in a manner that is neither unstructured nor covert. Participant observation provides not only descriptions of people, events and interactions that occur between people, but also of the experience, life experiences and

44 Trends in Basic and Therapeutic Options in HIV Infection - Towards a Functional Cure

The primary use of participant observation is to be found in the study of that which falls relatively outside the norm: that which is still not understood, is incipient, relates to other cultures, half-hidden or clandestine groups, as well as that which tends to be confined to institutions (whole institutions, work centres, laboratories, etc.). In other words, in those places where what is normal is bracketed and where it is understood that things are socially different to what is considered either normal, or to what appears in the institutions' formal discourses [42]. Consequently, participant observation is especially useful for in-depth studies of the everyday life of organizations, institutions and social groups that occupy a peripheral space within society. In the area of health care, this means using it to study the everyday and organizational lives of health centres, specific professional associations, hospital wards, etc. [42]. Participant observation is adequate when seeking to reveal the practical rules of a

Participant observation is defined by the interaction between the observer and the observed, within the context of the observed, and therefore involves the importance of the community setting that is to be observed. Choosing the settings to be observed is of the utmost importance for the research, as not all settings allow for the presence of an observer, nor are they susceptible to being observed. The particular research determines the selection of the setting and the

Therefore, participant observation reveals the practical rules of people affected by HIV when in a group, of the associations of HIV-positive people, of health service organizations and of the exact representation of a given culture, among others. Furthermore, as well as bringing forth participants' discourses that are embedded in everyday practices, it enables the identi‐ fication of discrepancies between discourse and behaviour. For instance, HIV-positive people undergoing antiretroviral treatment may say that they are following treatment when in fact, it is observed that treatment dropouts are frequent. Therefore, knowing the practical rules that condition the behaviour of people towards HIV is highly important for the development of intervention programmes aimed at the prevention of HIV. These programmes need to be adapted to the social and cultural rules that prevail in the different social and cultural contexts

As discussed above, HIV is a complex phenomenon in which many aspects (social, cultural, etc.), not only clinical and biological, are interrelated. Intervening factors in the HIV phenom‐ enon include social, economic, political, cultural and environmental aspects. The HIV phe‐

sensations of the researcher [44].

community, group, organization or institution.

scenario that will be observed, and not the other way around [43].

of the societies in which interventions will be undertaken.

**6. Conclusions**

The theories that have previously been explained are relevant methodological and theoretical tools for comprehending the complexity that defines HIV. Though these instruments differ, they do have certain common characteristics that should be taken into consideration. A common premise is: conceiving human action in terms of its intentionality, autonomy and reflexivity. All these characteristics share a subjective view of human behaviour, because they define its discourses. Consequently, the relevance and contribution of these theories to the study of health and disease, and specifically to the study of HIV, is now a fact. The advantages of this are multiple:


These theories are relevant and pertinent for obtaining useful knowledge to guide the design of effective and efficient health promotion policies and strategies, specifically for the preven‐ tion of HIV, as they focus on the problem of how actors in different contexts create a view of reality. Finally, a series of methodological tools were discussed whose validity and pertinence for the study of HIV are currently beyond any doubt. This has been evidenced by multiple studies in the field of HIV prevention, which have been conducted using this qualitative methodology.
