Abstract:
Stigma shapes all aspects of HIV prevention and treatment, yet there are limited data on how HIV-infected youth and their families
are affected by stigma in sub-Saharan Africa. The authors conducted a qualitative study using focus group discussions among 39
HIV-infected adolescents receiving care at HIV clinics in western Kenya and 53 caregivers of HIV-infected children. Participants
felt that while knowledge and access to treatment were increasing, many community members still held negative and inaccurate
views about HIV, including associating it with immorality and believing in transmission by casual interactions. Stigma was closely
related to a loss of social and economic support but also included internalized negative feelings about oneself. Participants
identified treatment-related impacts of stigma, including nonadherence, nondisclosure of status to child or others, and
increased mental health problems. Qualitative inquiry also provided insights into how to measure and reduce stigma among
affected individuals and families.
