Study on Defense Mechanisms to Cope With Stress Due to Stigma Among People Living With HIV/AIDS Reported in Eastern India: A Single Center Experience

Aim: To explore the stigmatizing pattern in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and assess coping strategies adopted for quality of life (QOL) appraisal. Methods: In the background of a descriptive, cross-sectional research design, PLWHA attending HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) outpatient clinic at Medical College, Kolkata (n = 120) were enrolled through “snowball sampling.” A brief semistructured interview schedule was used to elicit data on socio-demographics. Stigma was assessed using a 4-point scale (40-item). Quality of life was assessed using WHOQOL-BREF (World Health Organization Quality-of-Life) scale (26-item). Results: About 96.7% reported being stressed. Stigma was mostly confronted in socio-familial context. Fear of being stigmatized was much higher compared with those who actually faced stigma (69.2% vs 27.5%; P < .01). Quality of life negatively correlated with internalizing of stigma in the psychological domain (P < .01). Proportion experiencing actual stigma (women vs men: 79% vs 74%) experienced an above moderate QOL. Multiple defense mechanisms were identified. “Altruism,” “Anticipation,” and “Humor” were the most preferred defense strategies. However, such coping strategies appeared to be self-taught and only modestly helpful in managing perceived stigma. Conclusions: People living with HIV/AIDS should avoid internalizing stigmatized feeling and engage in social activities to work toward a better QOL.