HIV/AIDS Stigma: an investigation into the perspectives and expereinces of people living with HIV/AIDS
Year: 2006
Type: dissertation
Abstract: People's attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS remain a major community challenge.There is a need to generate a climate of understanding, compassion and dignity in which people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) will be able to voluntarily disclose their status and receive the support and respect all people deserve.However, many people experience discrimination because they have HIV/AIDS.In a certain area in Khayelitsha, a township in Cape Town, a young woman was killed after disclosing the HIV status after being raped by five men.This has become a barrier to testing, treatment, on quality of life and social responses to HIV/AIDS.While many previous studies have focused on the external stigma in the general population, there is a dearth of studies on stigma among PLWHA themselves and hence the aim of the present study was to investigate stigma attached to HIV/AIDS from the perspective of PLWHA.The focus group research method was used to collect the data.Six focus groups consisting of 8-10 people in each group were held in Khayelitsha drawn from organizations working with PLWHA and Treatment Action Campaign (TAC).Data was analyzed using discourse analysis and the PEN-3 Model was used to explain the themes that emerged from the data.Results showed that PLWHA are affected by both enacted and internal stigma related to HIV/AIDS.It was found that the experiences of discrimination and stigma often originate from the fear and perceptions of PLWHA as immoral or living dead.They suffer rejection at home, work, school and in the health care centres.Results also showed that PLWHA felt shame, guilt, hopelessness and useless.This internalized stigma leads to withdrawal, depression, not to disclose the HIV status and prevent people for testing for HIV and also affect health-seeking behaviour.However, participants who were well informed and those who were members of the support groups reported that they are coping with the illness and they are open about their HIV-status.This suggests that education efforts have been remarkably successful in changing attitudes.It is recommended that stigma reduction programmes should involve PLWHA, community leaders and the community members to be part of the planning and implementation.It is also important to look at the successful programmes already existing in the area and adapt them and also to evaluate the effectiveness. ------------------------------ R Mlobeli (Dlakhulu) Dedication To My FatherIt was sad to lose you before this mission was accomplished, but thank you for believing in me and being always there for me during the process.I also dedicate this work to the participants we have lost during this process.Prof. Leickness Simbayi for your support, encouragement and being patient with me until the end of this process.The Penn-State University and Human Science Research Council for providing me fellowship and the facilities which made it possible for
Author: Regina Mlobeli
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2172086589