Stigma never dies: Mourning a spouse who died of AIDS in China

Abstract Stigma towards people with HIV (PHIV) can affect their family members. In this study of 68 HIV seronegative participants in China whose spouse died of AIDS, 35.3% reported prolonged grief. Stigma beliefs towards PHIV (i.e., belief that PHIV's death leaves the deceased, the family and society better off) predicted grief symptoms. Social campaigns to combat stigma and grief therapy to reconstruct the meaning of HIV-related death may be helpful to reduce suffering in HIV bereaved.