Abstract
Previous research has demonstrated the high prevalence of internalised stigma, depression and anxiety in people living with HIV. Mindfulness based interventions such as MBSR and MBCT have yielded positive findings for alleviating depression and anxiety in health populations. Online mindfulness-based approaches show equitable results when compared to face-to-face interventions, and can be considered as a way to bridge the gap for individuals living with HIV that may be hard to reach. The current study aimed to explore the feasibility and acceptability to recruit to a randomised control design for a 4-week online mindfulness-based course for people recently diagnosed with HIV. The study used a pre-post research design to assess the 4-week online mindfulness-based course. In the second phase semi-structured interviews took place with people living with HIV (N=8), to further understand feasibility and acceptability of the study. Fifteen participants showed an interest in the online mindfulness based intervention phase of the study. Four gave consent to participate, three dropped out, leaving one participant who was successfully recruited into the study. Reliable and clinically significant improvement was only demonstrated for negative repetitive thinking, at post-intervention and follow-up. Eight participants took part in the semi-structured interview, Thematic analysis demonstrated the following themes in relation to feasibility and acceptability Where I am in my HIV Journey Matters, Will it be Worthwhile? Trust is Key, Is it Accessible and Relatable to me, A human connection improves the online mindfulness experience. The study indicated that an online mindfulness-based course for people recently diagnosed with HIV was not feasible, due to recruitment difficulties. Future studies may benefit from implementing adaptations to the focus and recruitment when conducting research within this population, suggestions of these adaptations can be considered within the themes that emerged.