Women of African descent living with HIV/AIDS in Germany

The challenges posed by HIV in the lives of women can be enormous. The study on women of African descent living in Germany reveals that the social context of HIV-related stigma is reflected in negative behaviors, including denial, secrecy, self-blame, and discrimination. Multiple factors can often precipitate stigmatization experiences and their social identity identities at the individual level, such as being female, ethnic minority, economic status interlocks with oppressive forces at the macro-level. The lived experiences of these women reinforce the need to redefine HIV from the social perspective stemming from the onset of the epidemic, which initially created stigmatization, primarily because of the sexual nature of the disease. The psychological impact of HIV/AIDS seems to overshadow the physical illness despite advancement in treatment, which could now be categorized as a social disease.