Experience of stigma and discrimination by people living with HIV

Abstract

HIV stigma denotes to the irrational or negative beliefs, attitudes, behavior and judgment towards people living with HIV (PLHIV) followed by discrimination which is the biased and partial treatment of PLHIV having context specific manifestation and diverse impacts. This study aimed to assess the lived experience of HIV stigma and discrimination, identity issues its impact, factors, support system and coping mechanism. A descriptive and exploratory study design was made with qualitative data collected among 60 PLHIV (49 female and 11 male respondents). The qualitative data were collected by using open ended structured questionnaire. The data gathered were analyzed using a thematic meaning making approach to form the results of the study.

It was concluded that the research respondent undergoes the identity crisis after the discovery of HIV due to different contextual factors like physical appearance, lack of knowledge about HIV, self-shaming, absence of social and economic support that lowers their self-esteem, confidence and status. Simultaneously, the respondents rebuild their identity based on their personal resilience, selective and limited disclosure, silent and secrecy, coping mechanisms, outreach and support mechanism through people and organization and access to available resources which is the positive aspects that impact the life of PLHIV. Furthermore, they focused on the health, social and economic aspects of their lives and these enabled them to gradually reconstruct their identity. The thesis pursues to back contributions in the sociology HIV stigma and discrimination. It also seeks to revise the perspectives of symbolic interactionism to better understand the emotive and embodied nature of identity processes in HIV stigma and discrimination.