Original Articles
Vol. 13 No. 2 (2025)
https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2025.13355
Emotional responses, status disclosure, stigma, and hope among people living with HIV: a phenomenological study
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Received: 7 November 2024
Accepted: 3 March 2025
Published: 9 April 2025
Accepted: 3 March 2025
Published: 9 April 2025
955
Views
368
Downloads
15
HTML
HIV/AIDS cases continue to increase globally and nationally. In Indonesia, West Kalimantan has the highest HIV/AIDS incidence, especially in Pontianak City. This study employs a descriptive qualitative design with a phenomenological approach to explore the emotional experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLHIV) within this demographic. A purposive sampling technique was used to select twelve participants, aged 18 to 60, who were active Community Peer Group Support members at Yayasan Pontianak Plus. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and observations. Thematic analysis, utilizing Colaizzi’s method, identified four major themes: 1) emotional responses to HIV confirmation, which include two subthemes: acceptance and denial; 2) disclosure status, which comprises two subthemes: undisclosed and disclosed; 3) stigma and perception, which include sources of stigma and forms of HIV stigma; and 4) hope for the future, consisting of hopes for themselves and hopes for others. This study enhances understanding of the complex emotional landscape of PLHIV and underscores the crucial role of social support in fostering resilience and hope.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
Ikatan Dokter Anak Indonesia (IDAI). Laporan HIV/AIDS pada Anak dan Remaja. Jakarta: IDAI; 2022.
UNICEF. HIV/AIDS and Young People: A Global Perspective. New York: UNICEF, 2022.
Ministry of Health Indonesia. Profil Kesehatan Provinsi Kalimantan Barat 2022. Pontianak: Dinas Kesehatan Provinsi Kalimantan Barat, 2023.
Li Z, Yan P, Wang R, et al. Persistent T cell proliferation and MDSCs expansion precede incomplete CD4+ T cell recovery in people with acute HIV-1 infection with early ART. Heliyon 2023;9:e15590.
UNICEF. The State of the World’s Children 2021: On the brink of a COVID-19 generation. New York: UNICEF, 2021.
Mela M, Maulana MA, Rahmah RGN. Overview of Adolescent Knowledge about HIV/AIDS. ProNers 2024;9:20-6.
Nabila IN, Rokhmah D, Nafikadini I. Emotional Regulation on People Living With HIV/AIDS: Case Study in Pelangi Peer Supporting Group. JIKM 2025;16:46-61.
Yu CH, Huang CY, Ko NY, et al. The Lived Experiences of Stigmatization in the Process of HIV Status Disclosure among People Living with HIV in Taiwan. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18:5089.
Ojikutu BO, Pathak S, Srithanaviboonchai K, et al. Community Cultural Norms, Stigma and Disclosure to Sexual Partners among Women Living with HIV in Thailand, Brazil and Zambia (HPTN 063). PLoS One 2016;11:e0153600.
Shi C, Li X, Dai Y, et al. Experiences, challenges, and needs of people living with HIV in Hunan Province, China: a qualitative study. J Multidiscip Healthc 2025;18:1405-21.
Siril H, Smith Fawzi MC, Todd J, et al. The value of hope: Development and validation of a contextual measure of hope among people living with HIV in urban Tanzania a mixed methods exploratory sequential study. BMC Psychol 2020;8:1-16.
Silva IBN, Patrício ACFA, Leite MAP, et al. Hope for life and depression: People living with HIV/AIDS. Rev Bras Enferm 2020;73:e20190535.
Parker R, Aggleton P. HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination: A conceptual framework and implications for action. Soc Sci Med 2019;62:417-31.
Mahajan AP, Sayles JN, Patel VA, et al. Stigma in the HIV/AIDS epidemic: A review of the literature and recommendations for the way forward. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2020;35:469-78.
Imani B, Zandi S, Khazaei S, Mirzaei M. The lived experience of HIV-infected patients in the face of a positive diagnosis of the disease: a phenomenological study. AIDS Res Ther 2021;18:95.
Faidas M, Stockton MA, Mphonda SM, et al. Stigma and discrimination faced by adolescents living with HIV and experiencing depression in Malawi. BMC Glob Public Health 2024;2:39.
Meo CM, Sukartini T, Misutarno M. Social support for HIV AIDS sufferers who experience stigma and discrimination: a systematic review. STRADA Jurnal Ilmiah Kesehatan 2021;10:1174-85.
Earnshaw VA, Chaudoir SR. From stigma to discrimination: stigma and the health of people living with HIV. J Health Soc Behav 2009;50:535-48.
Mi T, Li X, Zhou G, et al. HIV Disclosure to family members and medication adherence: role of social support and self-efficacy. AIDS Behav 2020;24:45-54.
Xu JF, Ming ZQ, Zhang YQ, et al. Family support, discrimination, and quality of life among ART-treated HIV-infected patients: a two-year study in China. Infect Dis Poverty 2017;6:152.
Fauk NK, Ward PR, Hawke K, Mwanri L. HIV Stigma and discrimination: perspectives and personal experiences of healthcare providers in Yogyakarta and Belu, Indonesia. Front Med 2021;8:625787.
Fauk NK, Hawke K, Mwanri L, Ward PR. Stigma and discrimination towards people Living with HIV in the context of families, communities, and healthcare settings: a qualitative study in Indonesia. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18:5424.
Bateganya MH, Amanyeiwe U, Roxo U, Dong M. Impact of support groups for people living with HIV on clinical outcomes: a systematic review of the literature. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2015;68:S368-74.
Rahmawati N, Hapsari ED, Lismidiati W, Pangastuti N. Pengetahuan remaja laki-laki dan kebutuhan pendidikan kesehatan tentang infeksi menular seksual (IMS). Berita Kedokteran Masyarakat 2018;34.
Fradianto I, Mita M, Yulanda NA, et al. Family Experiences in Caring for Covid-19 Positive at Home: Phenomenology Study. Jurnal Keperawatan Komprehensif 2024;8:203-11.
How to Cite
Emotional responses, status disclosure, stigma, and hope among people living with HIV: a phenomenological study. (2025). Healthcare in Low-Resource Settings, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2025.13355
Copyright (c) 2025 the Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.