Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 May 27;22(6):840.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph22060840.

Manifestation and Markings of HIV Stigma in Indonesia: A Scoping Review

Ni Kadek Sudastri  1   2 , Luh Putu Lila Wulandari  3   4 , Pande Putu Januraga  2   5
Affiliations

Manifestation and Markings of HIV Stigma in Indonesia: A Scoping Review

Ni Kadek Sudastri et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Stigma related to HIV hinders access to healthcare services and worsens the quality of life for people living with HIV (PLHIV). A comprehensive understanding of HIV stigma is crucial for designing effective stigma interventions. This scoping review offers an overview of the manifestations and markings of HIV stigma in Indonesia. Articles published in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and other sources were searched. Studies selected were published between 2019 and 2023, written in English, and focused on the manifestations or markings of HIV stigma in Indonesia. A thematic approach was applied to analyze the findings. From an initial pool of 4776 articles, 745 advanced to the title and abstract screening process, with 40 ultimately included in the review. The findings indicate that HIV stigma in Indonesia manifested as avoidance of contact with PLHIV, differential treatment of PLHIV, negative reactions toward PLHIV, and self-stigma. These stigmatizing behaviors were observed across various societal levels, including family members, the general public, colleagues in the workplaces, healthcare providers, and even PLHIV themselves. The findings further reveal the dual burden of stigma experienced by vulnerable populations such as children, adolescents, pregnant women, and key populations. Additionally, this review notes the presence of stigma marking directed at PLHIV, portraying them as dangerous, unclean, immoral, bad and irresponsible, and even sinners. In conclusion, in Indonesia, HIV stigma may take many different forms and occur in many different societal levels. This underscores the need for comprehensive, collective action and cross-sectoral interventions to effectively address these issues.

Keywords: AIDS; HIV; Indonesia; discrimination; stigma.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The author is affiliated with a research institution actively engaged in HIV prevention studies. Additionally, personal and professional interests may influence the interpretation and reporting of the findings. These affiliations and personal interests have been disclosed and considered in the review process to ensure transparency and objectivity.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flow diagram of the literature selection. * The literature was excluded because it did not contain the predefined keywords identified during the abstract screening process.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Kemenkes R.I. Laporan Eksekutif Perkembangan HIV AIDS dan Penyakit Menular Seksual (PIMS) Triwulan I Tahun 2022. 2023. [(accessed on 30 July 2024)]. Available online: https://hivaids-pimsindonesia.or.id/download/file/LaporanTW_I_2023.pdf.
    1. Marcus J.L., Chao C.R., Leyden W.A., Xu L., Quesenberry C.P., Klein D.B., Towner W.J., Horberg M.A., Silverberg M.J. Narrowing the Gap in Life Expectancy between HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Individuals with Access to Care. J. Acquir. Immune Defic. Syndr. 2016;73:39–46. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000001014. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Trickey A., May M.T., Vehreschild J.J., Obel N., Gill M.J., Crane H.M., Boesecke C., Patterson S., Grabar S., Cazanave C., et al. Survival of HIV-positive patients starting antiretroviral therapy between 1996 and 2013: A collaborative analysis of cohort studies. Lancet HIV. 2017;4:e349–e356. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3018(17)30066-8. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Samji H., Cescon A., Hogg R.S., Modur S.P., Althoff K.N., Buchacz K., Burchell A.N., Cohen M., Gebo K.A., Gill M.J., et al. Closing the gap: Increases in life expectancy among treated HIV-positive individuals in the United States and Canada. PLoS ONE. 2013;8:e81355. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081355. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Utami S., Agung A., Sawitri S., Putu L., Wulandari L., Gede I., Eka A., Ayu P., Astuti S., Wirawan D.N., et al. Mortality among people living with HIV on antiretroviral treatment in Bali, Indonesia: Incidence and predictors. Int. J. STD AIDS. 2017;28:1199–1207. doi: 10.1177/0956462417692942. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources