Stigma, culture, and HIV and AIDS in the Western Cape, South Africa: an application of the PEN-3 cultural model for community-based research

HIV- and AIDS-related stigma has been reported to be a major factor contributing to the spread of HIV. In this study, the authors explore the meaning of stigma and its impact on HIV and AIDS in South African families and health care centres. They conducted focus groups and key informant interviews among African and colored populations in Khayelitsha, Gugulethu and Mitchell's Plain in the Western Cape Province. Families and health care centres were found to have both positive/nonstigmatizing values and negative stigmatizing characteristics in addressing HIV/AIDS-related stigma. The authors conclude that a culture-centered analysis, relative to identity, is central to understanding the nature and contexts of HIV/AIDS-related stigma in South Africa.