HIV Stigma among Women and Adolescent Girls in South Africa: Removing Barriers to Facilitate Prevention

Abstract

HIV-related stigma is a global issue. Its perpetuation varies in magnitude across and within countries, and serves as a major barrier to HIV prevention efforts. Due to ignorance about the disease in sub-Saharan Africa, people living with HIV are often stigmatized, and as a result, experience dire consequences. In South Africa, women and adolescent girls are disproportionately infected by HIV. The stigma associated with HIV causes them to live in constant fear of discrimination, isolation, and violence from community members. The stigma also causes them to conceal their HIV status from family members, spouses, or partners, and thus, thwarts any chances of health seeking behavior that can improve upon their quality of life or prevent future transmissions. The stigma associated with HIV impacts women and adolescent girls in South Africa socially, economically and mentally. Given that women and adolescent girls are the population with the greatest HIV prevalence in South Africa, and given that prevention efforts cannot be as successful without addressing the issue of stigma among this group, deliberate commitment and an integrated approach from the government, healthcare professionals, public health officials, and communities are needed to stem the HIV tide in South Africa. These entities need to work together to create an environment where women and adolescent girls feel safe enough to disclose their HIV status and participate in prevention efforts. This article discusses HIV stigma among women and adolescent girls in South Africa. It presents some risk factors that predispose this population in South Africa to HIV, and highlights the social, economic and mental health effects of HIV-related stigma on them. The article further examines current efforts in South Africa to address HIV-related stigma among women and adolescent girls and proffers recommendations for eliminating stigma in order to pave way for effective national HIV prevention.

Addressing Learner-Centred Barriers to Sexuality Education in Rural Areas of South Africa: Learners’ Perspectives on Promoting Sexual Health Outcomes

“…Similarly, the teaching of some religious organisations triggers distrust of key messages of the school-based sexuality education curriculum like contraception, gender diversity, and gender equality, which are offensive to their beliefs and doctrine. Such teachings may promote stigmatisation of and discrimination against people living with HIV (PLHIV) and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people (Armstrong-Mensah et al, 2019 ; Olowu, 2015 ).…”

Exploring how outreach team leaders perceive community health workers’ experiences of providing HIV services in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

“…The HIV positive individuals and their families did not want CHWs to find out about their HIV-positive status or that of their family members, respectively. Stigma around HIV is a global challenge that undermines the fight against HIV and make people afraid to disclose their HIV status, seek out HIV information and services to reduce their risk of infection, and to adopt safer behaviours (Armstrong-Mensah et al, 2019;Mumin et al, 2018). Progressive community education on behavioural change about HIV facts is necessary in eliminating HIV stigma as successfully done in some parts of Kenya and the USA (Chenneville et al, 2019;Gwadz et al, 2018).…”

Perinatal HIV Transmission Prevention: Challenges among Women Living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa

“…25 Eliminating stigma will allow pregnant women to freely disclose their HIV status, participate in prevention efforts, and take precautions to prevent future transmission without the fear of discrimination, violence, or economic loss. 26…”