Curationis
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The five countries with the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world are situated in southern Africa, and South Africa, with an estimated 4.7 million people living with HIV (PLWA), has more cases of HIV/AIDS than any other country. AIDS stigma and discrimination continue to impact on those living with and affected by the HIV disease and their health-care providers, particularly in southern Africa, where the burden of AIDS is so significant. Stigma has become a major problem in the provision of care for PLWA in Africa. ⋯ The open coding technique was used for data analysis. Three types of stigma (received, internal and associated stigma) and several dimensions for each type of stigma were identified. Recommendations for interventions, a measuring scale and the formulation of a conceptual model were formulated.