Li Zhu Chen. Ethnic migrant workers living with HIV/Aids : stigma and discrimination in urban areas of Kunming, Yunnan province, China. Master's Degree(Health Social Science). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2009.
Ethnic migrant workers living with HIV/Aids : stigma and discrimination in urban areas of Kunming, Yunnan province, China
Abstract:
This Yi ethnic rural migrant workers living with HIV/AIDS suffer a double stigma
and discrimination in the Chinese social cultural context. This thesis reports an exploratory
qualitative research with in-depth interviews of 17 Yi ethnic migrant workers living with
HIV/AIDS suffering experience of stigma and discrimination in urban areas.
From macro level to micro level, this thesis demonstrates Yi migrant workers living
with HIV/AIDS suffer stigma and discrimination through their daily lives: The state has
separated people into two groups: normal people and people living with HIV/AIDS; Also,
unlucky, bad and dirty and sin words were used to describe them under cultural,
religious, media and ideological system; During their therapy, they were looked upon as a
contagious and dangerous group by hospitals; Many places of employment or workplaces
have some latent rules against HIV/AIDS and migrants for their horrible disease and their
ambiguous Yi migrant identities; Their children are also labeled stealers and rude
students by their schoolmates and teachers; They are separated for eating, sleeping and
living among their partners, families, and communities for their infection disease and so on.
Under the social cultural context, self stigma and discrimination causes the most suffering.
They withdraw from contact with society, feeling shameful, dirty and guilty, seeing
themselves as deformed and contagious etc, which causes them to lose their basic ability
and right to have a normal daily life.
Two management strategies were found disclosing or not disclosing their HIV/AIDS
infection identities. To avoid being stigmatized and discriminated against, they hide their
HIV/AIDS positive status from their workplaces, childrens schools, clinics, friends and
family members and limit physical contact with their children. For seeking support, some of
them disclosed their status to members of families, friends and workplaces, agencies and so
on.