Enacting support within church communities for people living with HIV or AIDS.

ATTITUDE (Psychology); CHURCH buildings; COMMUNICATION; DISCRIMINATION (Sociology); HIV-positive persons; INTERVIEWING; RESEARCH methodology; QUESTIONNAIRES; RESEARCH funding; HUMAN sexuality; SPIRITUALITY; QUALITATIVE research; SOCIAL support; DESCRIPTIVE statistics

Social support is important in managing HIV and AIDS. Some people living with HIV or AIDS (PLWHA) have sought support from churches, despite their reputation for stigmatising PLWHA. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 PLWHA and 21 church leaders to identify ways that churches can effectively enact support for PLWHA through improved communication about HIV, AIDS, and related issues. Church leaders also were asked about the institutional barriers to enacting support for PLWHA. Implementing these strategies consistently and holistically will require intentional efforts to address the barriers within church organisations to create environments that are welcoming to and supportive of PLWHA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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