title: HIV and stigma in Liuzhou, China.
abstract: This paper describes emergent stigma-related themes from individual descriptions of living with HIV in Liuzhou, China. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 23 people living with HIV (PLHIV). To provide contextual information, 14 public health personnel and 4 community workers in Liuzhou were also interviewed. PLHIV experienced enacted, anticipated, and internalized HIV-related stigma, which resulted in negative affective, behavioral, and physical health outcomes, including barriers to health care, preemptive self-isolation, suicidal ideation, and poverty. To lessen stigma, future programs should aim to increase HIV knowledge and empathy for PLHIV among family members, community workers, and health professionals. HIV programs should also include suicide risk assessment for PLHIV, especially immediately after diagnosis and at the onset of HIV-related symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Sociology and Social Work Department, Social Development School, Nanjing Normal University, Ninghai Road 122, Nanjing, 210097, People's Republic of China, huajuxiang@njnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Juxiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Catherine Boland
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Emrick
authors.forename: Carol E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Golin
authors.forename: Kangping
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Meijing
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xinyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Wendong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002681:China; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D036301:Qualitative Research; D063508:Social Discrimination; D012934:Social Isolation; D057545:Social Stigma; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors