The experience of double stigma among LGBT people living with HIV in Lampung, Indonesia: A qualitative study

Abstract

Background & Aim: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people living with HIV in Indonesia experience double stigma related to HIV status and sexual or gender identity across family, community, and health-care settings. Sociocultural and religious norms in Indonesia reinforce moral judgment and social exclusion, and these pressures reduce psychological well-being, social safety, and continuity of HIV care. Indonesian studies mostly examine HIV-related stigma and LGBT-related stigma separately, so evidence remains limited on how both forms of stigma interact as double stigma.

Materials & Methods: A qualitative study with a descriptive phenomenological design used purposive sampling to recruit 18 LGBT people living with HIV from community-based settings in Lampung, Indonesia. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews between August and October 2025. The researchers conducted in-depth face-to-face interviews and analyzed manually using Colaizzi’s method to identify core themes of lived experience.

Results: The analysis identified three main themes and eight interrelated subthemes reflecting participants’ experiences of dual stigma. The themes included Identity Struggles Under HIV and LGBT Stigma, Family Responses to HIV and LGBT Identity, and Community Reactions to HIV and LGBT Identity.

Conclusion: Individuals living with HIV from LGBT backgrounds experience intersecting forms of stigma that affect their identity, family dynamics, and community participation. Addressing both HIV-related and identity-based stigma is essential to reduce psychosocial distress and promote inclusive support systems. These findings underscore the urgent need for family- and community-engaged interventions to safeguard holistic well-being and sustain HIV care among LGBT people living with HIV.