Antiretroviral therapy and aging as resources for managing and resisting HIV-related stigma in rural South Africa
Date
2022-12
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Abstract
The widespread roll-out of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Africa has contributed to a large
population of adults aging with HIV. However, little is known about how HIV-related stigma
interacts with aging in the ART era. This study uses in-depth interviews with middle-aged
and older South Africans living with HIV to explore stigma-related experiences and response
strategies. Participants describe a persistence of stigma which requires the deployment of a range
of common and age-based stigma management and resistance strategies. We find that participants
minimize their exposure to stigma through selective disclosure of their HIV status; neutralize
HIV-related stigma through comparisons to chronic illnesses common among older adults, and
deflect stigma through asserting an ART-adherent identity and othering younger non-adherent
adults. Overall, our study highlights the roles of ART and aging as resources for managing and
resisting HIV-related stigma.
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Keywords
HIV; ART; Stigma; Aging; South Africa