Dealing with HIV/AIDS related stigma, stress, and coping

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) related stigma, perceived stress, and coping with the illness are widely regarded as key impediments to effective prevention and care. The purpose of this study was to explore HIV infected women in outpatient department of antiretroviral therapy (ART) who experience their psychosocial challenges like stigma, stress, and coping that they devise to deal with. Five infected women, of which three were widows and two married (living with spouse), and receiving ART from Gauhati Medical College Hospital participated in this qualitative study. HIV related stigma and stress were experienced by all participants and were narrated as sense of loss, shock, fear, anger, worry, and shame. To cope with these, the women alienated themselves, became secretive about their health, disclosed strategically, changed their place of stay and occupation, moved to metropolitan city to have less intrusive and peaceful life. The elements of stigma, stress, and coping employed, as uncovered in this study, suggest to plan out a basis for interventions aimed at assisting HIV infected people to deal with.