“I have HIV but I'm not the HIV” – the experiences of heterosexual Chinese men living with HIV in Singapore

ABSTRACT

As HIV is widely acknowledged as a stigmatized chronic condition which impacts the self, it is important to study the experiences of people living with HIV in relation to their selves and identities. According to extant literature on HIV and identity, the incorporation of an HIV identity is essential to adapting to the diagnosis. However, most of the participants in this study reject HIV as an identity. Using qualitative in-depth interviews, this paper explores the experiences of twelve heterosexual Chinese men living with HIV in Singapore. This paper is anchored by identity concepts from identity theory to examine the impact of HIV on self and identities and how various identities are reworked in the face of a stigmatized chronic medical condition. Thematic analysis shows varying impact of HIV on self, the role of normative identities and the location of HIV in their lives. The findings shed light on the importance of normative identities and the manner in which participants locate HIV in their lives.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV
• heterosexual Chinese men
• identity
• identity theory

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the participants for their contribution to this study and Associate Professor Wong Mee Lian for her valuable inputs.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Esther C. L. Goh http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0235-2363

Additional information

Funding

This study is funded by the National Medical Research Council Health Services Research – New Investigator Grant (NMRC/HNIG/0001/2017).