Dealing with HIV-related stigma: a qualitative study of women outpatients from the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital

Abstract

HIV-related stigma is widely regarded as a key impediment to effective prevention and care. The purpose of this study was to explore HIV-infected women outpatients' experiences of stigma and the coping strategies that they devised to deal with it. Six HIV-infected women receiving antiretroviral treatment from the Nthabiseng Clinic of the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital participated in this qualitative study. HIV-related stigma was experienced by all the participants and was narrated as a sense of loss that gave rise to feelings of fear and shame. To cope with this, the women isolated themselves, became secretive about their health, disclosed strategically, and enlisted support. The elements of stigma and the coping strategies employed as uncovered in this study suggest a basis from which interventions aimed at assisting HIV-infected people to deal with stigma can be planned.