‘They don't know how to defend themselves’: Talk about disability and HIV risk in South Africa

Abstract

Purpose. Disabled people in South Africa have been included, for the first time, in policy documents on HIV prevention. However, little is known about how persons with disabilities in South Africa may be at risk, or not. For policy to be implemented in effective practice, we need to know what the risk issues are for disabled people in South Africa.Methods. This study draws on qualitative findings from a survey and interview study exploring organisational responses to the HIV epidemic for disabled people. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic and discourse analysis.Results. An analysis of comments made about risk factors for HIV, identified sexual abuse as a key risk. Furthermore, findings suggest that disability stigma may be a key factor on increasing disabled people's vulnerability in engaging in unsafe sex.Conclusion. The findings provide much needed exploratory findings, in an area in which little is known; useful for considering issues for HIV prevention. However, caution needs to be taken that these findings are not the perspectives of disabled people themselves, and may reproduce accepted discursive truths.