Table 2.

Themes by frequency

Themes and Subthemes	Description	N (Frequency)
Intersectional Stigma
Healthcare Providers	Women reported stigmatizing experiences in healthcare settings.	18 (42)
Trauma and Poverty	Past and present struggles with substance use, poverty, interpersonal violence, and adverse childhood events impacted WLWH in their coping, daily lives, illness management.	17 (40)
Mental Health	WLWH experienced persistent anxiety from stigma resulting in feelings of shame, loneliness, and isolation.	16 (37)
Race and Gender	Race and gender compounded stigmatization and marginalization.	13 (30)
Family	Interpersonal stigma from family and friends resulted in abandonment, rejection, and betrayal.	10 (23)
Transcending Stigma
Paradox of Disclosure	Disclosure was a source of anxiety and stress but facilitated social support and engagement in care.	20(47)
Social Support	Women built social support systems at individual, institutional, and community levels.	17 (40)
Paradox of Motherhood	Motherhood intensified stigmatization and simultaneously supported resilience.	13 (30)
Hardiness, Gratitude and Optimism	Intrapersonal qualities such as hardiness, gratitude and optimism served as sources of resilience.	12 (28)
Facing the Illness	After an initial period of denial and distress, WLWH perceived a positive life progression.	10 (23)
Spirituality	Spirituality and personal faith were integral forms of support for WLWH.	10 (23)
Responding with Resilience
Accepting Oneself and Search for Personal Meaning	Constructing a positive self-identity through self-acceptance facilitated transcendence.	15 (35)
Advocacy	WLWH stressed the importance of advocacy and education.	11 (26)
Self-care	Self-care practices were integral to resilience.	10 (23)
Opposing Stigma and Transcending Constructs	Women counteracted stigma by resisting stigmatizing experiences and people and transcended negative constructs through reframing.	10 (23)
Better Able to Cope with Age	Women were better able to cope with their illness as they aged.	9 (20)