The Social Construction of Aging Among a Clinic-Based Population and Their Healthcare Workers in Zambia.

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

[img]
Preview
Text
ijph-69-1606607.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY).

Download (681kB) | Preview

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)

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

Actions (login required)

Edit item Edit item
Provide Feedback