Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Int J Behav Med. 2024 Jun;31(3):459-467. doi: 10.1007/s12529-023-10205-x. Epub 2023 Jul 31.
Social isolation and loneliness are associated with living with a chronic condition particularly where stigma is a factor. Our study aimed to examine the lived experience of adolescents living with HIV in relation to isolation because of their diagnosis and consequences of disclosure. Giddens' structuration theory was used as an analytic framework to identify the potential mechanisms underlying adolescents living with HIV's experiences.
Longitudinal in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 adolescents living with HIV aged 15-24 years with each participant taking part in three interviews (total 60) between September 2020 and October 2021. Thematic analysis was performed using Braun and Clarke's steps for coding and analysing qualitative data and informed by the structuration theory framework.
The findings indicated that adolescents living with HIV have agency and make conscious choices about sharing their status. However, these choices are influenced by their experiences in their community. The discrimination and negative judgements they often experience prevent them from disclosing their status. Stigma, discrimination, and psychological distress contribute to the isolation that adolescents and young adults living with HIV experience. The limited disclosure itself can lead to them becoming isolated and lonely.
The negative experiences which adolescents living with HIV face can have an impact not only on their psychological wellbeing but also on their decision to disclose and seek support. These experiences may lead to social isolation and loneliness, an unintended consequence of their action in protecting themselves from the conditions created by the structures/environment in which they live.
社会孤立和孤独与慢性病的生活方式有关，尤其是在存在污名化的情况下。我们的研究旨在探讨青少年感染艾滋病毒患者因诊断和披露后果而导致孤立的生活经历。吉登斯的结构化理论被用作分析框架，以确定青少年感染艾滋病毒患者生活经历的潜在机制。
2015-2024 岁之间的 20 名青少年感染艾滋病毒患者接受了纵向深入访谈，每位参与者在 2020 年 9 月至 2021 年 10 月期间进行了三次访谈（共 60 次）。使用 Braun 和 Clarke 的编码和分析定性数据的步骤进行主题分析，并受结构化理论框架的启发。
研究结果表明，青少年感染艾滋病毒患者有能力并对分享他们的状况做出有意识的选择。然而，这些选择受到他们在社区中的经历的影响。他们经常经历的歧视和负面评价使他们无法披露自己的病情。污名化、歧视和心理困扰导致青少年和感染艾滋病毒的年轻人经历孤立和孤独。有限的披露本身可能导致他们变得孤立和孤独。
青少年感染艾滋病毒患者所面临的负面经历不仅会对他们的心理健康产生影响，还会影响他们披露和寻求支持的决定。这些经历可能导致社会孤立和孤独，这是他们为保护自己免受所处环境结构/环境造成的条件而采取行动的意外后果。
