The Effects of Ageism and HIV-Related Stigma on Older Adults’ Social Networks
Date
2019-05-03
Authors
Hogan, Mikaila
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Abstract
HIV/AIDS has been the subject of culturally produced stigma since its emergence in the 1980s when a positive diagnosis meant certain death. HIV was transformed to a chronic condition with the introduction of antiretroviral therapies in 1996, yet the experiences of people living with HIV are still fraught with stigma and discrimination. Aging is also a stigmatized process in North America where a high value is placed on youthfulness. Through thematic analysis of individual illness narratives, this paper addresses how the intersection of age-related stigma and HIV-related stigma may exacerbate the social isolation already experienced by many older adults. As an example of how stigma can be unintentionally culturally produced, this research takes a critical anthropological view of the “successful aging” paradigm. The narrow normative framework for aging well does not allow for variations of success and can further isolate marginalized individuals. The discussion of themes that emerge from older adults’ illness narratives can help show how biomedicine must go beyond treatments of the physical body and address the social aspects of wellness. Sharing the stories of older adults living with HIV can help increase public understanding and empathy of the illness, reduce stigma, and humanize the individual experiences of HIV.
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Keywords
HIV, AIDS, older adults, aging, stigma, ageism, social isolation, social networks, successful aging, thematic analysis