“They don't even greet you”: HIV Stigma and Diagnosis Disclosure Experienced by HIV-Positive African Immigrants and Refugees in New Zealand

Abstract

Due to recent changes in New Zealand's HIV and immigration situations, there is a growing need to understand the lives of HIV-positive African newcomers there, including how and when they encounter HIV stigma and discrimination. To illuminate the experience of these individuals, interviews with 13 African immigrants or refugees in New Zealand described difficulties with and causes of HIV stigma and decisions about disclosure of HIV diagnosis. The continued presence of stigma suggests that more work must be done on HIV education, privacy enforcement, antistigma campaigns, culturally competent care, and enforcement of existing human rights laws.

KEYWORDS:

• discrimination
• HIV disclosure
• HIV stigma
• New Zealand

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We express our heartfelt thanks to individuals known as Joe, Mary, Rute, Ivy, David, Adele, Pat, Lisa, Paul, Anna, Jane, Marie and Julius, who contributed their stories of challenge and survival. Our sincere appreciation goes to the following individuals and organizations: Susan Mundt of Auckland District Health Board; Tuwe Kudakwashe and Simon Harger-Forde of New Zealand AIDS Foundation; and Jane Bruning of Positive Women. We are indebted to Christina Horsford, MSW student at Fordham University School of Social Service, for research assistance. The project would not have been possible without the first author's funding as a Fulbright Senior Specialist. Research costs were covered through two research grants from Fordham University (United States), with additional travel and support funding from The University of Auckland and Massey University (New Zealand).

Notes

Aotearoa is the Maori name for the set of islands, currently commonly used in tandem with “New Zealand.”.

Transcription key: “I” refers to interviewer. Interviewer utterances are in []'s. Material deleted from participant quotes are in ()'s. Author explanations are in []'s.