Table 4.

HIV Stigma-Related Themes Grouped by Theoretical Construct

Interview Guide Questions	HIV Stigma Themes Elicited	HIV Stigma Theoretical Constructsa
		PS	ES	IS	FNS	VS	Other
What do people in your community think about HIV/AIDS?	■ Lack of HIV education						X
	■ Denial about HIV/AIDS						X
	■ Perceptions of who is at-risk						X
	■ Fear of HIV transmission						X
	■ People not aware of their HIV status						X
	■ Certain groups considered “sinners”	X
	■ PLWHA say they have other disease				X
	■ PLWHA feel/are isolated	X	X
	■ Local health care providers think/act negatively toward PLWHA	X	X
How are PLWHA treated in the community?	■ Treated badly, considered “bad” person		X
	■ Subjected to violence		X
	■ How PLWHA treated changes when people discover their HIV status		X
	■ Do not want to be near PLWHA	X	X
	■ Denied employment/housing		X
Are certain HIVpositive groups more discriminated against than others?	■ Homosexuals/gays		X
	■ Those perceived to be HIV-positive because of how they look		X			X
	■ “Promiscuous” women or sex workers		X			X
	■ Drug users		X			X
	■ African Americans		X			X
What makes it difficult to bring HIV clinical trials into communities?	■ Others will find out who is participating in HIV clinical trials						X
	■ Clinical trial venues will be known as places to go for HIV research/care						X
	■ Only participate in HIV clinical trial if site was outside of their town						X
What about using a mobile van in your community as a way for people who are HIVpositive to enroll and participate in clinical trials?	■ Not good because the mobile van will be known as the “HIV bus”						X
Who have you not told that you have HIV?b	■ No one knows						X
	■ Family members						X
	■ Friends						X
What are your reasons for non-disclosure?b	■ Fear of being treated badly					X
	■ Uncertainty how others will react					X
	■ Wanted to keep HIV status confidential				X

^aPS = Perceived stigma; ES = Experienced stigma; IS = Internalized stigma; FNS = Felt normative stigma; VS = Vicarious stigma; and Other = Emerging category(ies) of stigma, or related to stigma.

^bQuestions were asked to persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) only.