Sharma, Anjali; Mwamba, Chanda; St Clair-Sullivan, Natalie; Chihota, Belinda V; Pry, Jake M; Bolton-Moore, Carolyn; Vinikoor, Michael J; Muula, Guy K; Daultrey, Harriet; Gittelsohn, Joel; Mulenga, Lloyd B; Siyumbwa, Namasiku; Wandeler, Gilles; Vera, Jaime H (2024). The Social Construction of Aging Among a Clinic-Based Population and Their Healthcare Workers in Zambia. International journal of public health, 69, p. 1606607. Frontiers 10.3389/ijph.2024.1606607
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OBJECTIVES
We sought to understand the social construction of aging in a clinic-based population, with and without HIV, to address gaps in care for older individuals living with HIV in Zambia.
METHODS
Our exploratory qualitative study included 36 in-depth interviews with clinic clients and four focus group discussions with 36 professional and lay healthcare workers providing services to the clients. We identified themes based on social construction theory.
RESULTS
At the individual level, aging was multidimensional, perceived both as an achievement in the HIV era and as a period of cognitive, physical, and economic decline. In social interactions, older individuals were often stereotyped and treated as helpless, poor, and "witches." Those living with HIV faced the additional stigma of being labeled as promiscuous. Some of the participants living without HIV refused to take daily medication for non-communicable diseases to avoid being mistaken for taking antiretroviral therapy for HIV. Older individuals wanted quality healthcare and family support to address the intersectional stigma of aging, poverty, and chronic illness.
CONCLUSION
Multifaceted interventions are required to combat age-related prejudice, intersectional stigma, and discriminatory practices, particularly for people living with HIV.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
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Division/Institute: |
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Haematology, Oncology, Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Medicine and Hospital Pharmacy (DOLS) > Clinic of Infectiology 04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) |
UniBE Contributor: |
Chihota, Belinda Varaidzo, Wandeler, Gilles |
Subjects: |
600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health 300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 360 Social problems & social services |
ISSN: |
1661-8556 |
Publisher: |
Frontiers |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Pubmed Import |
Date Deposited: |
08 May 2024 12:08 |
Last Modified: |
07 Jun 2024 12:34 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.3389/ijph.2024.1606607 |
PubMed ID: |
38711786 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
HIV Zambia Zambia ageing non-communicable diseases social construction of ageing |
BORIS DOI: |
10.48350/196596 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/196596 |
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