Exploring HIV and AIDS stigmatisation: Children's perspectives

Abstract

HIV and AIDS-related stigma has been recognised as one of the main obstacles to the prevention, care and treatment of HIV and AIDS. The aim of the research on which this article is based was to examine the experience to stigmatisation of a group of children whose parents have succumbed to AIDS or are living with HIV and AIDS. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten children between 13 and 16 years old who were volunteer counsellors and thus well-placed to describe the manifestation of stigma in their community]. Data were analysed through thematic content analysis. The findings show that stigmatisation remains a pervasive experience in the lives of the children of PLWHA. This article suggests that more research should be conducted on how HIV stigma affects the lives of children whose parents are affected by HIV and AIDS in South Africa.