The role of AIDS volunteers in developing community-based care for people with AIDS in Thailand

The present study analyses the effectiveness of AIDS volunteers in mitigating the stigma attached to People With AIDS (PWAs) within the context of developing community-based care (CBC) in Thailand. A total of 86 trained village health volunteers (T-VHVs) and 99 non-trained village health volunteers (N-VHVs) were enrolled in the study. In addition, 58 villagers in the T-VHV's intervention area and 72 villagers in the non-intervention area were also enrolled. Both T-VHVs and N-VHVs as well as villagers were assessed to determine their level of knowledge with respect to HIV/AIDS and attitudes toward PWAs. Furthermore, we also determined the village health volunteers' level of activity in distributing knowledge of HIV/AIDS in order to prevent and reduce stigma in the community. Although T-VHVs showed a greater depth of knowledge of HIV/AIDS than N-VHVs (p < 0.05), positive attitudes toward PWAs and the level of practice of village health volunteers did not differ significantly between T-VHVs and N-VHVs. While the level of health knowledge of villagers did not differ significantly between the T-VHV's intervention and control areas, a significant difference was observed between the two areas in terms of the villagers' attitudes towards PWAs (p < 0.01). Villagers in the intervention area attached less stigma to PWAs; therefore, T-VHVs played a role in providing basic information on AIDS to the villagers and in mitigating the stigma attached to PWAs. However, these volunteers need to undergo further training through a well-organized training programme in order to obtain a greater depth of knowledge. This is essential for the development of community-based care for PWAs.     

A comparison of HIV/AIDS-related stigma in four countries: Negative attitudes and perceived acts of discrimination towards people living with HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination have a substantial impact on people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the associations of two constructs of HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination (negative attitudes towards PLHA and perceived acts of discrimination towards PLHA) with previous history of HIV testing, knowledge of antiretroviral therapies (ARVs) and communication regarding HIV/AIDS and (2) to compare these two constructs across the five research sites with respect to differing levels of HIV prevalence and ARV coverage, using data presented from the baseline survey of U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Project Accept, a four-country HIV prevention trial in Sub-Saharan Africa (Tanzania, Zimbabwe and South Africa) and northern Thailand. A household probability sample of 14,203 participants completed a survey including a scale measuring HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination. Logistic regression models determined the associations between negative attitudes and perceived discrimination with individual history of HIV testing, knowledge of ARVs and communication regarding HIV/AIDS. Spearman's correlation coefficients determined the relationships between negative attitudes and perceived discrimination and HIV prevalence and ARV coverage at the site-level. Negative attitudes were related to never having tested for HIV, lacking knowledge of ARVs, and never having discussed HIV/AIDS. More negative attitudes were found in sites with the lowest HIV prevalence (i.e., Tanzania and Thailand) and more perceived discrimination against PLHA was found in sites with the lowest ARV coverage (i.e., Tanzania and Zimbabwe). Programs that promote widespread HIV testing and discussion of HIV/AIDS, as well as education regarding and universal access to ARVs, may reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination.     

贵州省群众关于艾滋病自愿咨询检测的定性研究

目的：了解艾滋病综合防治示范区和非示范区群众对艾滋病和自愿咨询检测的态度，为开展艾滋病自愿咨询检测项目提供依据。方法：在示范区和非示范区采用专题小组讨论和个人深入访谈的方法．了解场所主要知情人员和群众对艾滋病和开展艾滋病自愿咨询检测的态度以及实施中应考虑的问题等。结果：示范区和非示范区普通群众对艾滋病和自愿咨询检测的认识有待于提高，对自愿咨询检测的接受程度较低。不愿意做检测的最主要原因是认为没必要做和社会对检测者的歧视态度。结论：应进一步加大针对艾滋病和自愿咨询检测的宣传力度，消除社会对艾滋病感染者和检测者的歧视。在实施艾滋病自愿咨询检测活动时应注意针对可能的障碍因素采取相应的措施。     

南充市护理人员艾滋病相关知识与态度调查

目的评估南充市护理人员艾滋病歧视态度现状。方法在南充市分层随机抽3所医院,再用整群抽样方式抽取科室,用面对面访问的方式对抽中科室的护理人员进行艾滋病认知情况和歧视态度的问卷调查。结果共调查295名临床一线护士,调查对象艾滋病总体知晓率为81.7%。年龄越小（OR=2.86,95%CI：2.13~3.17）及未接触过艾滋病患者（OR=4.11,95%CI：1.27~6.38）的护理人员艾滋病认知水平较低;认知水平（OR=2.86,95%CI：0.79~1.26）与歧视态度无明显联系,但年龄越小（OR=2.86,95%CI：1.89~3.13）,工作年限越短（OR=2.55,95%CI：1.89~3.13）,未接触过艾滋病患者（OR=1.97,95%CI：1.54~2.56）的护理人员歧视态度明显较高。结论南充市护理人员艾滋病认知水平较高,但仍有歧视态度,调整和改进干预策略是亟待进行的工作。     

生活技能培训对艾滋病高发地区高中学生相关知识和态度的影响

目的:评价在艾滋病高发地区农村高中学生中开展生活技能培训对他们艾滋病相关知识和态度的影响。方法:在河南省上蔡县选择2所高中的所有一年级学生为干预组,开展为期3个月的生活技能培训;选择生源素质相近的另一所高中的一年级学生为对照组,不开展干预活动。干预活动开展前后分别进行匿名自填问卷调查,评价干预活动效果。结果:干预组学生的艾滋病知识得分(78.79)明显高于对照组(57.58)。干预组对HIV感染者的态度转变明显,他们更愿意接纳和关爱身边的HIV感染者。干预组92.7%的学生认为有必要在学校教育中全面开展这样的生活技能培训。多因素分析显示,生活技能培训、同伴和父母的态度和观点对农村地区高中学生的艾滋病相关知识和态度的影响很大。结论:以生活技能培训方式开展的短期(3个月)性与生殖健康教育对提高学生的艾滋病知识、转变学生对HIV感染者的态度有明显的效果。     

Community Group Membership and Stigmatising Attitudes Towards People Living with HIV in Eastern Zimbabwe

Stigmatising attitudes towards people living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIV) are hampering attempts to control HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan African countries. This study measures the effect of social capital, in the form of local community groups, in reducing stigma and tests a new explanatory framework for the association between community group membership and less stigmatising attitudes. Prospective data on membership of a wide range of different community groups and stigmatising attitudes (being unwilling to care for a relative with AIDS), collected from a general population cohort of 5,253 men and women aged 15–54 years in eastern Zimbabwe between 2003 and 2008 were analysed using multivariable logistic regression. 36 % of respondents were members of community groups throughout the study period. Individuals in community groups were less likely to express stigmatising attitudes towards PLHIV—3.4 versus 9.5 % (adjusted odds ratio = 0.46, p < 0.001). Discussions of care for PLHIV within groups, improved knowledge about AIDS, greater exposure to PLHIV, and increased uptake of HIV testing and counselling did not account for the association. Further work is needed to identify the mechanisms through which community participation can reduce stigma. Nevertheless, these findings suggest that promoting well-informed discussions about HIV within pre-existing community groups and involving these groups in stigma reduction programmes could be effective means of reducing stigma at the grassroots level.     

HIV感染者与AIDS患者感知歧视与应对方式、希望水平的相关性

目的　了解HIV感染者与AIDS患者感知歧视、应对方式、希望水平的现状和三者的相关性。方法　选取2017年9月至12月在成都市某传染病医院就诊的112例HIV感染者与AIDS患者进行Berger HIV感知歧视量表、医学应对问卷及Herth希望指数量表调查。结果　HIV感染者与AIDS患者感知歧视得分为（113.30±16.11）分,主要表现为担心病情公开;应对方式以屈服应对为主（61例,54.5%）;面对维度得分低于常模,回避和屈服维度得分高于常模,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.001）。希望得分为（36.24±4.85）分。Pearson相关分析显示,感知歧视总分及各维度得分与屈服维度得分均呈正相关（均P＜0.05）,与面对和回避维度得分均无相关性（均P＞0.05）;除担心公开维度得分与希望得分无相关性（均P＞0.05）外,其余各维度得分及感知歧视总分与希望得分均呈负相关（均P＜0.001）。结论　HIV感染者与AIDS患者存在感知歧视,且与其应对方式和希望水平相关,应采取针对性的干预措施,降低其歧视感。     

The Effect of AIDS Peer Health Education on Knowledge,Attitudes, and Practices of Secondary School Students in Khartoum,Sudan

BackgroundPeer education seeks to enroll students in persuasive communication programs aiming at AIDS prevention. Providing information about AIDS prevention methods can lead to behavioral change and also a potential reduction in unsafe sexual behavior, particularly among young people.ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the role of peer education interventions in improving awareness, attitudes, and practices of secondary school students and peer educators towards AIDS.MethodsThis is a pre-and post-study. The study was conducted among 400 students who were randomly selected from 10 gender-balanced schools. They received the information from trained peer educators. 200 peers carried out the intervention (20 peers from each school), which was conducted in phases. The intervention required coordinating with official concerned stakeholders, preparing teaching aids, and four days of training workshops for the peer educators. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science program (SPSS). A paired sample t-test was obtained and utilized to interpret the changes observed in pre- and post-intervention knowledge, attitude, and practice.ResultsThe study showed that the intervention program improved participants'' knowledge from 75.5% to 83.2%. This improvement was with specific regard to the following: the causative agent of AIDs (p = 0.017), which improved from 77.7% to 81.5%; the spread of HIV through mosquitos (p = 0.001), which showed an increase from 12.7% to 23.8%; the program focused on the concept of the HIV carrier (p = 0.001), and also on the AIDS risk when having multiple sex partners, (p = 0.001), showing an increase of 47.5% to 83.5%. Following the knowledge test, the attitudes of students significantly increased from 70% to 83% with regards to youth vulnerability to HIV (p = 0.001), while scored dropped from 15.7% to 8.5% concerning the topic of HIV voluntary testing (p = 0.001). The practices of students changed from 70% to 83% when prompted about shaking the hands of an HIV infected person and also from 84.8% to 87.7% about sharing food with an HIV infected person (p > 0.05).ConclusionThe study concluded that school peer education is an effective approach to inform students of unsafe sexual behavior with regards to HIV/AIDS. It is clear that peer education enables significant improvements to be made with regards to the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the students.     

观点采择干预对青少年学生艾滋病污名的影响

目的了解青少年学生艾滋病污名的现状并探讨观点采择干预对其的影响。方法采用整群抽样法抽取某中学初中一年级5个班的学生,按学号单双分为对照组和干预组。被试对象均采用艾滋病污名问卷进行前测,观点采择干预后,均进行艾滋病污名后测,同时采用基本共情量表测共情水平。比较两组艾滋病污名差异,分析共情在观点采择对艾滋病污名影响中的中介作用。结果完成本研究被试对象为146名,其中对照组72名,干预组74名,艾滋病污名前测对照组及干预组艾滋病污名总分分别为(43. 75±8. 95)分和(44. 40±10. 41)分,两组间差异无统计学意义(P>0. 05)。艾滋病污名后测对照组及干预组艾滋病污名总分分别为(42. 65±11. 40)分和(37. 82±9. 94)分,两组差异有统计学意义(P<0. 05),共情中介效应的系数c(c=-0. 210)、系数a(a=0. 181)、系数b(b=-0. 163)和系数c’(c’=-0. 181)差异均有统计学意义(P<0. 05),中介效应占总效应的比值为14. 05%,共情在观点采择与艾滋病污名关系间存在部分中介作用。结论青少年学生普遍存在艾滋病污名,观点采择干预能有效降低其艾滋病污名,共情在观点采择对艾滋病污名的影响中发挥部分中介作用。     

Changes in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-related Knowledge and Stigmatizing Attitudes among Korean Adolescents from 2006 to 2011

ObjectivesThis study assessed the prevalence and changes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) knowledge and stigmatizing attitudes in 2006, 2008, and 2011.MethodsThree cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2006, 2008, and 2011. A cross-sectional sample of high school students in Seoul, South Korea was targeted. A self-administered questionnaire measuring general and transmission and discriminatory attitudes was used.ResultsMisconceptions about casual contact were widespread, even though the proportion responding incorrectly decreased significantly over the 5-year period. The respondents in all surveys displayed a high level of discrimination against those with HIV/AIDS in some situations, particularly in the idea of HIV/AIDS making the respondent feel disgusted (63.3% in 2006, 57.5% in 2008, and 52.6% in 2011), avoiding sitting with people with HIV/AIDS (50.6% in 2006, 50.5% in 2008, and 48.5% in 2011), and blaming those with HIV for becoming infected (46.6% in 2006, 42.8% in 2008, and 43.0% in 2011). Even though respondents had a high level of stigmatizing attitudes, the survey showed that the stigma has declined over the 5-year period.ConclusionThe survey results showed that public health policy should recognize that HIV stigmatizing attitudes persist in Korea. This finding has implications for the development of intervention programs focusing on reducing the levels of discrimination.     

重庆市某三甲医院医务人员消除艾滋病歧视调查及干预

目的通过对综合医院医务人员的艾滋病歧视情况调查,进行消除医务人员艾滋病歧视综合宣传并评价其宣传效果。方法选择重庆市第四人民医院临床一线医务人员,采用全球基金中国艾滋病项目设计的关于艾滋病歧视态度的调查问卷,采用不记名的问卷调查方法,并对医务人员进行艾滋病知识、职业防护技能、相关伦理与道德、不歧视的相关政策的培训干预,干预前、后收回有效问卷各500份。结果医务人员已经掌握了一些艾滋病防治知识,经过培训其正确率得到提高,其正确率由干预前的93.0%,提高到干预后的97.2%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。医务人员对艾滋病歧视态度客观存在,经干预,其不歧视率由干预前的49.8%,提高到65.2%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.001)。结论干预明显消除了医务人员对艾滋病歧视。但医务人员存在职业暴露风险,消除医务人员对艾滋病歧视非一日之功,需要长期持续不懈的努力。综合医院开展艾滋病防治知识培训,可通过领导支持,科教、医务和护理多个职能部门配合,分次培训,以提高培训率。     

Educating School Nurses to Care for HIV-Infected Children in School

ABSTRACT: Effects of an educational program on school nurses' knowledge and attitudes about human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) infection in children and changes in practice was investigated. Participants (N = 205) attended a one-day workshop held at 11 sites in New Jersey. Content was clinically focused and derived from a needs assessment of a sample of school nurses throughout New Jersey. An adult education format was used, with interactive and affective teaching strategies modeled on the AIDS Training Program of the California Nurses' Association. Subjects were pretested and posttested for knowledge and attitudes about HIV in children. An identical posttest mailed three months later included a self-report of change in practice since attending the workshop. Knowledge and attitude scores were significantly higher at program completion (p < .0001). Three months after the program, knowledge scores had fallen but not to pretest levels. No significant difference existed between attitude scores after the program and three months later. On self-report of change in practice, respondents indicated they instituted or improved universal precautions, and were more comfortable in teaching children, staff, and their communities about HIV.     

Prevalence and factors associated with HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discriminatory attitudes: A cross-sectional nationwide study

ObjectiveThe prime purpose of this study is to assess HIV/AIDS-related self-stigma and discrimination (S&D) attitudes and associated factors using multivariate analysis of data from the 2010–11 National Survey of Understanding the Root of HIV/AIDS Related Stigma and Discrimination.MethodA national telephone survey was carried out with 2271 of the Malaysian public aged 18–60 years. The sample was contacted by random digit dialing covering the whole of Peninsular Malaysia from December 2010 to May 2011. The HIV-transmission knowledge, HIV-related self-stigma, and public stigma were investigated.ResultsDespite high level of HIV-transmission knowledge [mean (SD) = 10.56 (2.42), mean score at 70th percentile] the respondents in this study had moderate levels (mean scores near midpoints) of self-stigma and public stigma attitudes. HIV-transmission knowledge score was not significantly correlated with self-stigma score, but showed a significantly small positive effect (r < 0.2) for public stigma scores. Ethnicity is the strongest correlate of HIV-transmission knowledge, self-stigma, and public stigma attitudes in the multivariate analyses. Other significant correlates were age, socioeconomic group, and urban–rural setting.ConclusionsThe root causes of HIV stigma and discriminatory attitudes were not associated with knowledge deficiency. Interventions should be oriented towards promoting de-stigmatization of HIV/AIDS, and tailored socio-culturally.     

Stigmatization,discrimination and fear of aids in Greece: Implications for health policy

A prospective health‐education research project about AIDS knowledge and attitudes towards AIDS was conducted in Athens and nine adjacent municipalities in west Attica, Greece. Socioeconomic and demographic data, AIDS knowledge, and attitudinal information were collected from 1552 respondents and analysed treating the attitudes of stigmatization, discrimination and fear towards AIDS as the dependent variable. Statistically significant correlations were found between each of the three attitudinal variables and the independent ones; specifically, age, place of residence, marital status and level of AIDS knowledge. Our working hypothesis—that the higher the level of AIDS knowledge, the lower the level of discrimination and stigmatization—was supported by our data. The relationship between AIDS knowledge and fear was less clear. Fear probably inhibits a rational approach to screening for HIV, and more empirical research is needed about fear and its interaction with stigmatizing and discriminatory attitudes and behaviours. Such research should be aimed at identifying population groups ‘at risk’ of expressing high levels of negative social attitudes about AIDS so that educational programmes can be appropriately designed.     

A Controlled Pre-Post Evaluation of a Computer-based HIV/AIDS Education on Students’ Sexual Behaviors,Knowledge and Attitudes

Unlike traditional approaches to sexuality and HIV education which can be constrained by the sensitive nature of the subject, Information Technology (IT) can be an innovative teaching tool that can be used to educate people about HIV. This is especially relevant to interventions targeting young people; the population group fond of using IT, and the same group that is more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Yet, there are significantly few empirical studies that rigorously evaluated computer-assisted school-based HIV/AIDS interventions in developing countries. The modest studies conducted in this area have largely been conducted in developed countries, leaving little known about the effectiveness of such interventions in low resource settings, which moreover host the majority of HIV/AIDS infections.This research addresses this gap by conducting a controlled pre-post intervention evaluation of the impacts of the World Starts With Me (WSWM), a computer-assisted HIV/AIDS intervention implemented in schools in Uganda. The research question was: did the WSWM intervention significantly influence students’ sexual behaviors, HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy? To address this question, questionnaires were simultaneously administering to 146 students in an intervention group (the group receiving the WSWM intervention) and 146 students in a comparison group (the group who did not receive the WSWM intervention), before (February 2009) and after the intervention (December 2009).Findings indicate that the intervention significantly improved students’ HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes self-efficacy, sex abstinence and fidelity, but had no significant impact on condom use. The major reason for non-use of condoms was lack of knowledge about condom use which can be attributed to teachers’ failure and inabilities to demonstrate condom use in class. To address this challenge, intervention teachers should be continuously trained in skills-based and interactive sexuality education. This training will equip them with self-confidence and interactive teaching skills, including tactics for emphasizing building students’ skills through role plays and interactive assignments. In addition, the HIV interventions themselves should include interactive virtual condom use demonstrations that can be accessed by students themselves.     

HIV, AIDS and human services: exploring public attitudes in West Hollywood, California

The provision of human services associated with HIV and AIDS has been a controversial issue in Western countries, given the degree of stigma attached to AIDS, and the high level of public concern about the possibility of contracting HIV. Previous research on attitudes to controversial human services has identified some key characteristics associated with negative attitudes and resistant 'not-in-my-backyard' behaviour. Attitudes towards HIV- and AIDS-related services may be affected by other factors as well; in particular, they may be related to self-identified sexual orientation, given the role of HIV and AIDS in the emergence of a strong gay political identity. However, little research has yet been conducted to explore how knowledge and attitudes towards these services in particular localities are associated with a range of characteristics of local residents, including sensitive information such as sexual orientation and household HIV status, and how these might contribute to the creation of more accepting environments. This paper provides an analysis of a 1994 city-wide survey conducted in West Hollywood, California. This small city has a large and politically-organized gay and lesbian population, as well as significant numbers of residents in other, diverse social groupings, and has experienced high levels of HIV infection and AIDS relative to the surrounding Los Angeles County. Although issues of HIV and AIDS service provision have been well publicized in the city, residents may be expected to hold rather different sets of knowledge about and attitudes to these services, depending on their personal characteristics. Analysis of the survey data reveals that a large proportion of residents of West Hollywood rated HIV and AIDS services as very important, but there were interesting differences among groups. Most notably, variation in knowledge of services and attitudes to services (rating of importance) was particularly associated with age and language, but was less affected by sexual orientation and household HIV status.     

艾滋病诊疗医务人员对艾滋病态度分析

目的 了解艾滋病诊疗医务人员对艾滋病的态度。分析影响态度的深层原因。方法 对87名艾滋病诊疗医务人员进行匿名问卷调查,并采用换位和代言的方法讨论产生这些态度的深层原因。结果 在20个观点中,艾滋病诊疗医务人员仅对“艾滋病儿童是无辜的受害者,应该给他们提供免费治疗”等7个观点呈大体一致的态度（达到75％以上）,其余观点均有较大分歧。艾滋病知识的缺乏、不了解艾滋病的严峻形势、缺乏正确的、一致的艾滋病防治观和行为观是导致以上分歧的主要原因。结论 艾滋病诊疗医务人员具有一定的艾滋病传播及预防基本知识,但缺乏艾滋病的专业知识和正确的、一致的艾滋病防治观和行为观。应加大艾滋病专业知识的普及和注重理性态度及行为的培养。     

Media saturation,communication exposure and HIV stigma in Nigeria

HIV-related stigma constitutes an impediment to public health as it hampers HIV/AIDS control efforts in many ways. To address the complex problems of increasing HIV infection rate, widespread misinformation about the infection and the rising level of HIV-related stigma, the various tiers of government in Nigeria are working with local and international non-governmental organizations to develop and implement strategic communication programs. This paper assesses the link between these communication efforts and HIV-related stigma using data from a nationally representative household survey. The results show that accepting attitudes towards people living with HIV are more prevalent among men than among women. Exposure to HIV-related communication on the media is associated with increased knowledge about HIV, which is in turn a strong predictor of accepting attitudes. Communication exposure also has a significant and positive association with accepting attitudes towards people living with HIV. In contrast, community media saturation is not strongly linked with accepting attitudes for either sex. The findings strongly suggest that media-based HIV programs constitute an effective strategy to combat HIV/AIDS-related stigma and should therefore be intensified in Nigeria.     

HIV/AIDS stigma-associated attitudes in a rural Ethiopian community: characteristics, correlation with HIV knowledge and other factors, and implications for community intervention

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Whether scale-up of HIV prevention and care will reduce negative attitudes and discriminatory practices towards persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) is uncertain. An HIV knowledge and attitude survey was conducted in a rural Ethiopian community where HIV prevention and treatment was being rapidly scaled up. Data were analyzed to identify prevalence of and factors associated with stigma-associated attitudes towards PLWH. METHODS: We surveyed 561 adults from 250 randomly selected households in the rural town of Arba Minch and surrounding villages about positive or negative attitudes towards PLWH, as well as demographic characteristics, and knowledge about HIV transmission and treatment. RESULTS: Eighty percent of respondents agreed with [greater than or equal to] 1 negative statements indicating blame or shame towards PLWH and 41% agreed with [greater than or equal to] 1 negative statements associated with distancing themselves from PLWH. However, only 14% expressed negative responses about whether PLWH should receive support from their communities. In multivariate analysis, a greater number of negative attitudes towards PLWH was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with: female gender (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.51), living in a rural village (vs. town neighborhood) (OR = 3.44), not knowing PLWH can appear healthy (OR = 1.78), lack of knowledge about perinatal transmission (OR = 1.49), lack of knowledge about how HIV is not transmitted (e.g. casual contact) (OR = 2.05), lack of knowledge about HIV treatment (OR = 1.80), and not personally knowing a PLWH (OR = 1.41). CONCLUSIONS: In a rural Ethiopian setting in which rapid scale-up of HIV treatment occurred, many respondents still characterized HIV as associated with shame or blame, or indicated PLWH would be isolated or discriminated against. HIV stigma can hamper both prevention and treatment programs. We identified multiple issues which, if addressed, can help promote a more positive cycle in which PLWH are appreciated as members of one's own community who are affirmatively interacted with and supported. Stigma reduction programs should address knowledge gaps such as fears of casual contact contagion, and lack of awareness of medical interventions to help prevent HIV disease, as well as building upon community-based attitudes of the importance of supporting and showing compassion for PLWH.     

Can a short film impact HIV-related risk and stigma perceptions? Results from an experiment in Abuja, Nigeria

HIV/AIDS-related stigma is believed to result in negative social consequences for people with the disease and to be a deterrent to HIV serostatus testing. The ability of communicators to change people's stigma perceptions and subsequently impact decisions to test, however, is not well understood. Based on the entertainment-education approach, this article presents the results of a field experiment conducted in Abuja, Nigeria, testing a mediated intervention designed to reduce HIV-related stigma and risk perceptions. The results indicate that the intervention was effective relative to a control in impacting perceptions of the severity of HIV and some stigma-related attitudes, particularly for male participants; and that for this sample, risk and stigma perceptions significantly impact intentions to test for HIV. It also showed that severity perceptions mediated the relationship between viewing the film and testing intent.