The experience and management of HIV stigma among HIV-negative adults in heterosexual serodiscordant relationships in New York City

ABSTRACT

Despite treatment advances that have improved the health and life expectancy of HIV-positive people and contribute to the prevention of HIV transmission, HIV stigma is still frequently experienced by HIV-infected individuals and those close to them. This study investigated the types of HIV-related stigma experienced by HIV-negative adults in serodiscordant heterosexual relationships when their partner’s HIV-positive status was revealed to family and friends and their strategies to manage such stigma. In-depth interviews were conducted in New York City with 56 men and 44 women who were HIV negative and had been in a relationship for at least six months with an HIV-positive partner of the opposite sex. Those who had disclosed the HIV status of their partner to family or friends experienced four main types of stigmatizing behaviours: distancing (avoidance of the participant or his/her partner for fear of infection), depreciation of the partner (being told their partner is not worthy of them), violation of privacy (people spreading the information that the partner is HIV positive), or accusations (being told that it was wrong to be in a relationship with HIV-positive people or to try to conceive with them). Participants described four main ways of managing actual or anticipated stigma: secrecy (not disclosing the HIV status of their partner to anyone), avoidance (breaking ties with people who held stigmatizing views), seeking support from their partner or the HIV-positive community (e.g., HIV-related organizations or their partner’s family or friends), or education (informing family or friends about HIV treatment and prevention). Findings show that HIV-related “courtesy” stigma is frequently experienced by HIV-negative people in serodiscordant relationships but often can be managed. Offering support to individuals in serodiscordant relationships can improve the quality of life of HIV-positive people and their HIV-negative partners and potentially reduce HIV stigma.

KEYWORDS:

• Serodiscordant couples
• HIV stigma
• stigma management strategies
• heterosexual couples
• reproductive desires

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Karolynn Siegel http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8208-5949

Étienne Meunier http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2810-8633

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported in part by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development from the National Institutes of Health [HD058338].