HIV in the Heartland: Experiences of Living with HIV in Urban and Rural Areas of the Midwest

Authors

Sarah B. Donley, Jacksonville State UniversityFollow
C. Patrice Lockett, Jacksonville State UniversityFollow

Abstract

Scholarly research on HIV/AIDS and stigma has largely demonstrated a different experience for people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) who inhabit urban and rural areas. Largely missing from this scholarship are experiences in low prevalence areas. Low prevalence areas typically have fewer resources, social networks, and HIV infection and prevalence is less common. In this paper, we examine the challenges PLWHAs in rural and urban areas of the Midwest face and how these individuals manage, respond, and combat HIV/AIDS related stigmas in their communities. This paper utilizes interview data to understand the lived experiences of 18 persons living with HIV and AIDS. This paper reveals that respondents in rural areas are likely to be geographically dispersed, struggle with accessing healthcare services, believe their communities are less tolerant, and are less likely to disclose their positive status or seek out social support. Respondents who lived in urban areas were more likely to disclose their positive status, have access to AIDS service organizations and social support, and to participate in advocacy in the “HIV Community.” Our study demonstrates how social and community context are agentic players in shaping life chances, decisions, and behavior of the PLWHAs we interviewed.

Keywords

HIV/AIDS, Stigma, Disclosure, Midwest, Low Prevalence

Author Bio(s)

Sarah Donley is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at Jacksonville State University. Her main areas of expertise and research are in gender, work, and culture. Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed directly to: Sarah Donley, 324 Brewer Hall, Department of Sociology and Social Work, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL 36265. Email: sdonley@jsu.edu.

C. Patrice Lockett is an Assistant Professor in Department of Sociology and Social Work at Jacksonville State University. Her research interests include intimate partner violence, homelessness, and civic engagement.

Acknowledgements

This research was supported in part by a grant from the Midwest Sociological Society Endowment Committee. The authors would also like to thank Dana Britton and Alisa Garni for reading earlier versions of this work.

Publication Date

12-11-2017

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2017.2980

Recommended APA Citation

Donley, S. B., & Lockett, C. (2017). HIV in the Heartland: Experiences of Living with HIV in Urban and Rural Areas of the Midwest. The Qualitative Report, 22(12), 3224-3243. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2017.2980