NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ756336
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Dec
Pages: 10
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0016-9013
EISSN: N/A
"You're Awfully Old to Have This Disease": Experiences of Stigma and Ageism in Adults 50 Years and Older Living with HIV/AIDS
Emlet, Charles A.
Gerontologist, v46 n6 p781-790 Dec 2006
Purpose: Older adults living with HIV infection may be doubly stigmatized, as they are branded by both age as well as HIV status. Through semistructured interviews, this study sought to examine whether older adults with HIV/AIDS experience both ageism and HIV stigma and how those experiences manifest in their lives. Design and Methods: This was a qualitative study in which 25 in-depth interviews were completed with adults aged 50 years and older who were living with HIV or AIDS. Purposive sampling was used to recruit these individuals who shared their experiences. Open coding and axial coding of interview transcripts were completed on all interviews, resulting in the development of a framework of these experiences. Results: The majority (68%) of the respondents experienced both ageism and HIV-associated stigma. The experiences were often separate, although some interrelated stigma did occur. Nine themes emerged from the interviews, including rejection, stereotyping, fear of contagion, violations of confidentiality, and internalized ageism. All themes fell into four categories: social discrimination, institutional discrimination, anticipatory stigma, and other. Implications: The research identified themes that may be sources of felt as well as enacted stigma and discrimination related to both aging and HIV. This concept of double jeopardy exists in the lives of the majority of people interviewed and has relevance to the creation of appropriate intervention strategies.
Gerontological Society of America. 1030 15th Street NW Suite 250, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-842-1275; Fax: 202-842-1150; e-mail: geron@geron.org; Web site: http://www.geron.org/journals/gsapub.htm
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A