Result of the Chennai Study on HIV Stigma

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How stigmatizing is Stigma in the life of people living with HIV:

A study on HIV positive individuals from Chennai, South India

Authors: , B. E. 1; Rehman, F. 1; Suryanarayanan, D. 1;

phine, K. 1; Dilip, M. 2; Dorairaj, V. S 1; Swaminathan, S. 1

Source: AIDS Care, Volume 17, Number 7, October 2005, pp. 795-801(7)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the & Francis Group

Abstract:

The nature and intensity of AIDS stigma are shaped by the social

construction of the epidemic in different locales. Stigma therefore

needs to be discussed in its cultural context. This clinic-based

study aims at understanding stigma among 203 HIV positive

individuals from Chennai, South India.

The study throws light on the impact of stigma on the quality of

life among these individuals. It also discusses the gender

implications of stigma. This study brings out the findings that

actual stigma experienced among those infected with HIV is much less

(26%) as compared to the fear of being stigmatized or perceived

stigma (97%).

Internalizing of stigma was found to have a highly significant

negative correlation with quality of life in the psychological

domain and a significant negative correlation in the environmental

domain. However individuals who did experience actual stigma seemed

more determined to live and experience an above moderate quality of

life.

The implication of this study encourages HIV infected individuals to

rise above stigma, avoid internalizing their stigmatized feelings

and work toward a better quality of life. Health providers need to

address these issues in their care for HIV infected individuals.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1080/09540120500099936

Affiliations: 1: Tuberculosis Research Centre (ICMR), Chennai, India

2: Government General Hospital, Chennai, India