Socioeconomic gradients in internalized stigma among 4,314 persons with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
Tsai, A.C.
Aids and Behavior 19(2): 270-282
2015
ISSN/ISBN: 1573-3254 PMID: 25572833 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-014-0993-7Document Number: 638985
The stigma attached to HIV is a major public health problem given its adverse impacts on HIV prevention and on the psychosocial wellbeing of persons with HIV. In this study, I apply a novel method to data from the Demographic and Health Surveys to identify persons with HIV who were aware of their seropositivity at the time of the survey. The pooled dataset includes 4,314 persons with HIV in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Rwanda, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. My findings indicate that nearly one-fifth of study participants provided survey responses consistent with internalization of stigmatizing beliefs. Furthermore, in multivariable regression models, striking socioeconomic gradients in internalized stigma were observed. A clear implication of my findings is that the adverse health and psychosocial impacts of HIV stigma are likely concentrated among those with the fewest socioeconomic resources for managing and resisting it.
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