Beliefs Contributing to HIV‐related Stigma in African and Afro‐Caribbean Communities in the Netherlands

Abstract

Thirty years after the first diagnosis, people living with HIV (PLWH) around the world continue to report stigmatizing experiences. In this study, beliefs contributing to HIV-related stigma in African and Afro-Caribbean diaspora communities and their cultural context were explored through semistructured interviews with HIV-positive (N = 42) and HIV-negative (N = 52) African, Antillean and Surinamese diaspora community members in the Netherlands. Beliefs that HIV is highly contagious, that HIV is a very severe disease, and that PLWH are personally responsible for acquiring their HIV infection were found to contribute to HIV-related stigma, as did the belief that PLWH are HIV-positive because they engaged in norm-violating behaviour such as promiscuity, commercial sex work, and, for Afro-Caribbean diaspora, also homosexuality. These beliefs were found to be exacerbated and perpetuated by cultural taboos on talking about HIV and sexuality. HIV-related stigma reduction interventions should focus on changing these beliefs and breaking cultural taboos on HIV and sexuality in a manner that is participatory and consistent with the current theory and empirical findings.

Exploring HIV risks, testing and prevention among sub-Saharan African community members in Australia

“…Stigma was similarly fuelled by perceptions of strict confidentiality rendering HIV invisible within the community, the reluctance of affected individuals and family to speak out and engage the community, the reluctance of the community to discuss its role in perpetuating silence, and cultural, historical and social norms that associated HIV with moral culpability, death and disease. Stutterheim and colleagues [ 48 ] found HIV stigmatising beliefs were strengthened and prolonged by “silence, denial and [cultural] taboo” (pp. 478) prohibiting talk about sex and HIV.…”

HIV Status Disclosure in the Workplace: Positive and Stigmatizing Experiences of Health Care Workers Living with HIV

“…In the Western world, HIV is a chronic medical condition that nonetheless remains stigmatized as a result of its association with behaviors often considered to be norm-violating, such as sex between men, having multiple sex partners, commercial sex work, and intravenous drug use (Stutterheim, Bos, van Kesteren, et al, 2012). HIV is also often construed as contagious and severe, and those who have HIV are frequently considered personally responsible for having acquired HIV (Stutterheim, Bos, van Kesteren, et al, 2012). A large body of research has demonstrated that disclosure of HIV status can lead to stigma that subsequently has substantial costs for psychological, social, and physical well-being Stutterheim, Bos, van Kesteren, et al, 2012;Stutterheim et al, 2009).…”

Patient and Provider Perspectives on HIV and HIV-Related Stigma in Dutch Health Care Settings

“…Additionally, people living with HIV (PLWH) are often associated with behaviors that are perceived by some to violate social norms, such as commercial sex work, homosexuality, and intravenous drug use. [7][8][9] Combined, these perceptions contribute to PLWH feeling stigmatized, and, indeed, negative reactions to PLWH have been found to occur across a broad range of settings. [10][11][12][13] One such setting is health care.…”