Changing social relations of HIV infected people with families and communities in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: It is observed that HIV infected people are facing multidimensional stigma, discrimination, blames, restrictions, ban, loathing and hateful behavior by their own families, community members, neighbors, and many more people who comes in daily contact with them. The objective of the study was to determine the problems of changing social relations that HIV/AIDS patients experiences in the families and communities. Materials and Methods: The study was qualitative and cross-sectional in nature. The participants of the study were HIV infected people registered with Punjab AIDS Control Programme and enrolled at Public Hospitals and their key informants i.e. family members and medical practitioners. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the representative sample. A sample of 50 HIV infected people, 50 family members and 20 medical practitioners were interviewed. In-depth interviews were conducted with HIV infected people, family members and medical practitioners. The collected in-depth and enrich information was analyzed thematic analysis. Results: The diagnose of HIV reshape the identity of individual in the family and community. The social relations of HIV infected people change with the family and friends.