EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES FACED BY PEOPLE WITH HIV/AIDS (PWHA)

Background: There are 34 million people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) worldwide. Most, live in Africa, and in 2011, the highest death rates were in South Africa. HIV infection has a major impact on the mental health of the person, which has a chance of causing cognitive impairment, mood and anxiety disorders, and even psychotic manifestations. Emotional problems impair the quality of life of the person, including being stigmatized. Objectives: To explore the emotional challenges faced by people with HIV/AIDS (PWHA). Method: During initial search, 128 articles were retrieved and after screening 10 articles were selected, which meet the eligibility criteria. These articles were searched from Pub Med, EBSCO, and DELNET from 2007 to 2016. Results: HIV/AIDS led to external and internal (self) stigmatization, and affected almost all areas of the lives of PLWHA. Stigmatization and the progression of the disease led to psycho-emotional disturbances, job losses, poverty, dependence, the strain or disruption of relationships and painful bodily symptoms. Some PLWHA felt that finding a job would solve most of their problems and religious belief, spirituality were also used to cope with life. The emotional support by other PLWHA was to be more meaningful than counseling by healthcare workers. Conclusion: Internal and external stigmatization seemed to characterize the emotional experience of participants and negatively impacted on the lives of PLWHA, as well as strategies to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Stigmatization needs to be prevented at all levels for the quality of life of the person, by developing targeted and contextually sensitive anti-stigmatization messages or intervention, which is effective in minimizing the HIV/AIDS stigma.