title: HIV stigma and discrimination in medical settings: stories from African women in New Zealand.
abstract: Recent changes in New Zealand's HIV and immigration situations have sparked a need to understand the experiences of HIV-positive African newcomers there. Here a narrative lens was brought to a previous qualitative study to harvest stories about discrimination in medical settings in New Zealand, told by four HIV-positive African women. Despite describing positive experiences with specialist HIV providers, their accounts shed light on weaknesses within the health care system regarding the rights and treatment of immigrants living with HIV. Participants reported inappropriate use of universal precautions, violations of confidentiality rights, discriminatory comments about Africans or persons with HIV, and misinformation about HIV transmission. Interventions must include enforcement of The Privacy Law and consistent training and monitoring of employee behavior in health care organizations.
authors.affiliation: a School of Social Service , Fordham University , West Harrison , New York , USA.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cannon Poindexter
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D006268:Health Facilities; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D063508:Social Discrimination / Q000523:psychology*; D016635:Universal Precautions