title: "Eating plastic," "winning the lotto," "joining the www"...descriptions of HIV/AIDS in Africa.
abstract: This report is based on qualitative data gathered through a series of focus group discussions with people living with HIV or AIDS and nurses in five African countries. Participants were asked which words or phrases people use to refer to the illness and to people living with the illness. A total of 261 respondents were involved in the 40 focus group discussions, and an analysis of the data identified 290 descriptions. The descriptions were classified into 7 categories, which were (from most to least common): attributional, neutral, death-related, physical feature-related, factual statements, lingering illness-related, and common illness-related. Whereas some terms were used in more than one country, others were unique to a specific country. The descriptions show many negative labels and beliefs, but also an awareness of the devastating effects of the illness on individuals.
authors.affiliation: University of KwaZulu-Natal School of Nursing, South Africa.
authors.forename: Leana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uys
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chirwa
authors.forename: Priscilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dlamini
authors.forename: Minrie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greeff
authors.forename: Theckla
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kohi
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Holzemer
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Makoae
authors.forename: Joanne R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Naidoo
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Phetlhu
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011287:Prejudice; D013240:Stereotyping; D009626:Terminology as Topic