ONLINE COPING STRATEGY AMONG PLHIV WITHIN THE LGBTQ PEOPLE IN MALAYSIA: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) and HIV continue to be sensitive topics in Malaysia. The stigma around the subject that interweaves elements of health, social-cultural, religion, and morals within the society became the stress factor for PLHIV within this community, causing a great deal on their mental health and well-being. The ongoing stigma and discrimination led them to adopt various types of coping strategies depending on how much it impacts their view of self and surroundings. This study aimed to explore the experience of HIV and sexual identity stigma and how online coping strategies influence their mental well-being within the Malaysian context. Six LGBTQ participants living with HIV were studied using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to enable a detailed exploration of the complex phenomenon. Eight key themes emerged within the four master themes of HIV stigma, sexual identity stigma, online coping strategies, and mental health highlighting the complex portrayal of their experience. The findings revealed that HIV diagnosis and sexual identity stigma experienced compounded their ability to accept who they are. Socioemotional and problem-focused coping strategies via various online platforms assisted the participants to activate coping strategies by attempting to problem-solve their issues or obtaining social and emotional support from others. The experience of double stigma was found to influence their mental health outcomes negatively and the use of online coping strategies to deal with the stigmas improved their emotional strengths and the way they frame the stressors to generate a positive outlook on their mental health. Findings from this study would enhance the understanding of how online platform supports LGBTQ people living with HIV in Malaysia to cope with the double stigma and manage their mental health and well-being.