The experience of stigma for older people with a diagnosis of HIV in the UK: A meta-synthesis

Abstract

The number of older people with a diagnosis of HIV has grown significantly in recent years. People living with HIV experience high levels of HIV-related stigma and discrimination, however, how ageing and HIV related stigma intersect has only recently been examined. This review aimed to synthesise the stigma literature for older people with a diagnosis of HIV in the UK. Electronic databases were searched for published papers, resulting in five relevant studies. Meta-synthesis of the papers identified three main themes: (1) The HIV community; (2) Ageing with HIV; and (3) The future. These themes are explored, implications for clinicians working with older people and those with HIV are discussed, and key gaps in the literature identified for future research.