Children's voices about HIV/AIDS-related stigma in Uganda : A descriptive study of adolescents experiencing stigma

Abstract

The aim of this study is to get an understanding of how children express HIV/AIDS-related stigma and the possible challenges it causes due to cultural factors that influence stigmatization in children in Uganda. In this study I also want to investigate if the Convention on the Rights of the Child is or can be taken into consideration in Uganda to protect children with HIV/AIDS from stigmatization.

The research questions are: How do children in Uganda with HIV/AIDS express their experi-ences about HIV/AIDS-related stigmatization? Which cultural factors in Uganda affect HIV/AIDS-related stigmatization in children? Can the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) be used in Uganda to protect stigmatized children with HIV/AIDS?

Leininger´s Sunrise Model Enabler and the Convention on the Rights of the Child are used as frameworks. In the study Leininger’s ethnonursing method as a qualitative research method was used. Data collecting has been carried out twice by group interviews with eight key infor-mants and once by one-to-one interviews with three general informants. The data analysis was carried out using Leininger’s Phases of Ethnonursing Qualitative Data Analysis.

The results show that for the informants stigmatization is the way society treats the children, stigmatization is when the church punishes the children, stigmatization is a lack of information and acknowledgment, stigmatization is a lack of resources and stigmatization is when the CRC is not used to protect the children.

Keywords: Children, adolescents, HIV/AIDS-related stigma, discrimination, culture, nursing, Uganda, Convention on the Rights of the Child.