The devastation wrought by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Aboriginal communities is both physical and metaphorical, as the stigmas associated with the virus mediate the way it is both understood and experienced. This thesis examines the role of HIV in Canadian Aboriginal literature, with an eye to the specific ways that these narratives about HIV relate back to real-world understandings of the epidemic. The works of Tomson Highway, Jordan Wheeler, Beth Brandt, and Gregory Scofield demonstrate how HIV/AIDS is frequently tied to colonial histories and personal experiences of disconnect, alienation, and abuse. HIV operates at the boundaries of these texts, drawing connections between otherwise disparate narratives, highlighting stigmas within communities, and focussing on differently marginalized communities of Aboriginal people in Canada. These authors draw from traditional understandings of storytelling, using narrative to incite important discussions about HIV/AIDS, and to work towards greater acceptance and inclusion of HIV-positive people in Aboriginal communities.

Thesis (M.A.)(Clinical Psychology) --University of Limpopo, 2010. / In this study, the researcher aimed to establish whether HIV/AIDS-related stigmas (enacted + internal) have an impact on disposition for HIV/AIDS testing uptake among pregnant women in the Limpopo Province. A total of 457 pregnant women participated for the quantitative aspects, while 40 of the 457 participated in the qualitative aspects of this study. The multiple regression analysis method was used to analyze the relationship between levels of HIV/AIDS related stigmas (enacted + internal) and pregnant women‟s decision to dispose themselves for HIV/AIDS testing uptake. Further open-ended questions were content analyzed and presented in frequency tables. The multiple regression analysis indicated that internal stigma was a significant factor negatively affecting pregnant women‟s disposition for HIV/AIDS testing uptake. External stigma was not a significant factor. Internal stigma accounted for (R-Square= 0.03) 3.0% of the variance. Qualitative, Psychosocial factors (i.e. fear of stigma, fear of being discriminated and lack of confidentiality over test results, as well lack of family and partner support) emerged to be common factors indicated by pregnant women to negatively influence some of the pregnant women‟s disposition for HIV/AIDS testing uptake. It is recommended that intensive individual counseling sessions aimed at addressing the effect of internal stigma on HIV-testing, be integrated with existing PMTCT programmes. The involvement of partners, families, and communities in programmes that address HIV/AIDS-related stigma is of paramount importance. / None

Thesis (M.Cur.) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / Previous research about people living with HIV and AIDS has highlighted social support as an important determinant of health outcomes; i.e. perceived support to be associated with adjustment and coping in relation to HIV diagnosis, as well as its potentially chronic and disability course . The purpose of the study is to determine the effects of HIV and AIDS on the socio-economic status of people infected with HIV and AIDS at the village of Ga-Mathabatha in the Capricorn District of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. In this study, a qualitative, descriptive, exploratory and contextual design is used. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used to carefully select the sample based on the knowledge that the participants had about the phenomena studied. Semi-structured, one-on-one, in-depth interview with a schedule guide were conducted until saturation of data was reached. To initiate each interview, a central question was was asked: “Describe the effects that HIV and AIDS have on your socio-economic status”. Participants were given an opportunity to describe their experiences with regard to the effects of HIV and AIDS on their socio-economic status. Field notes of semi-structured, one-to-one, in-depth interview session were recorded. A voice recorder was used to capture all the semi-structured, one-to-one, in-depth interviews. The recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim, using Tesch’s qualitative data analysis method. Trustworthiness was ensured by using Guba’s model criteria; i.e. credibility, transferability, confirmability, and dependability. The results indicate that HIV and AIDS have an effect on the socio-economic status of HIV-positive people. Ethical standards for nurse researchers were adhered to, namely permission to conduct the study was obtained from the Medunsa Research and Ethics Committee. Permission to conduct the research project was granted by the Limpopo Turfloop Campus, Limpopo Provincial Department of Health and Social Development, and the ART clinic management at the Ga-mathabatha Relebogile Wellness and ART Clinic. To ensure confidentiality and anonymity, written informed consent was obtained from each participant before he/she could participate in the study. The quality of the research was also insured. Five themes and their sub-themes, and the literature control are presented in the discussion of the research findings. The findings of this study have a central story line which reveals that participants are sharing similar experiences in terms of socio-economic factors after they have tested HIV-positive which are related to several factors; including the involvement of family and friends in their care, changes encountered which affect their social life, household income, and their living conditions. The following five themes and their sub-themes have emerged during data analysis: Theme 1: Different sources of income of HIV-positive people; Theme 2: Living conditions of HIV-positive people; Theme 3: Consequences related to HIV and AIDS disease progression; Theme 4: Support and care to HIV-positive people; and Theme 5: Disclosure versus non-disclosure of HIV-positive status. The results of this study are limited to the Relebogile Wellness and ART Clinic in the Ga-Mathabatha area of the Capricorn District in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study findings cannot be generalised to all clinics that are issuing ARVs in the Capricorn District. Study conclusions emphasise the fact that there is a need for HIV and AIDS positive patients to receive continuous support from family, friends, and the community with the purpose of enabling them to cope emotionally, socially, and economically. It also reveals the importance of participants to take their treatment as prescribed with the aim of improving their immune systems. The recommendations emphasise the fact that there is a need for HIV and AIDS patients to receive continuous support from family, friends, and the community with the purpose of enabling them to cope emotionally, socially, and economically. TERMINOLOGY Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) HIV is a virus which has a known and distinct capacity to cause Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome once it has entered the body. It attacks a person’s immune system (Kaushik, Pandey & Pande, 2006:43) Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) It is the fourth stage of HIV infection and it is usually characterised by a CD4 count of less than 200. It is not a specific illness but rather a collection of illnesses that affect the body to such an extent that the weakened immune system struggles to respond effectively (Kaushik et al., 2006:43) Effects Effects are consequences that are brought about by a cause (Kaushik, Pandey & Pande, 2006:56). Examples of effects are changes in the health status, and standard of living of a population as a result of a programme, project or activity. In this study, effects refer to changes in the socio-economic status of a population that have occurred as a result of the breadwinner in a family who has become unable to go to work due to a weakened immune system that results from HIV and AIDS. Epidemic It is the occurrence of cases of an illness (or an outbreak) in a specific population with a frequency clearly in excess of the normal probability (Giesecke, 2007:19). In this study, an epidemic refers to the effect HIV and AIDS has on the population. Socio-economic status Socio-economic status refers to the standardised way of grouping a population in terms of parental occupation, income, power, prestige, and education (Kirsh, 2006:287). In this study, socio-economic status defines a person’s monthly income, education, and occupation. Family A group of people living together in a permanent arrangement, separated from the rest of the world by the walls of the family dwelling and by societal guarantees of family privacy (Bachmann & Booyens, 2006:4). In this study, a family denotes those people who are living under the same roof with a breadwinner who is HIV-positive.

This dissertation focuses on how important factors such as gender inequalities and gender vulnerabilities contribute to fuelling the spread of HIV/AIDS. The study focuses on a community in Phoenix, called Clayfield. The study examines aspects of masculinity, sexual relations, socio-economic vulnerabilities and domestic violence and demonstrates how these elements predispose women and girls to HIV infection. As a result of gender inequalities and imbalances, women are vulnerable to HIV infection. The study also explores how risky behaviour, by both men and women, can escalate women's vulnerability to the disease. The central argument engages discussion on crucial issues around gender imbalances and vulnerabilities. The study concludes with recommendations pertinent to challenging present gender-based initiatives and interventions, and suggests possible gender-sensitive strategies that could assist in curbing the spread of the disease. / Thesis (LL.M.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2007.

The objective of the study was to identify the factors that affect the survival lifetime of HIV+ terminal patients in rural district hospitals of Albert Luthuli municipality in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. A cohort of HIV+ terminal patients was retrospectively followed from 2010 to 2017 until a patient died, was lost to follow-up or was still alive at the end of the observation period. Nonparametric survival analysis and semiparametric survival analysis methods were used to analyse the data. Through Cox proportional hazards regression modelling, it was found that ART adherence (poor, fair, good), Age, Follow-up mass, Baseline sodium, Baseline viral load, Follow CD4 count by Treatment (Regimen 1) interaction and Follow-up lymphocyte by TB history (yes, no) interaction had significant effects on survival lifetime of HIV+ terminal patients (p-values<0.1). Furthermore, through quantile regression modelling, it was found that short, medium and long survival times of HIV+ patients, respectively represented by the 0.1, 0.5 and 0.9 quantiles, were not necessarily significantly affected by the same factors. / Statistics / M. Sc. (Statistics)