"All This is For My Child, For My Family". Family Obligation and Living with HIV/AIDS in China

Social discrimination and limited health care resources drive many people living with HIV/AIDS in China to seek help from their own families. This paper, which is based on a qualitative study of the experiences of this population, examines how the notion of family obligation has influenced how these individuals organise various aspects of their daily lives. Viewing family obligation as a matter of reciprocal relationships, a closer look is taken at the ways in which these individuals exercise their autonomy to fulfil those obligations and pursue their moral self despite their health status. The study suggests the significance as well as the limitations of incorporating family support into AIDS interventions in the Chinese context.