Beyond negative attitudes: Examining HIV/AIDS stigma behaviors in clinical encounters

HIV/AIDS related stigma remains a major global health issue with detrimental consequences for the treatment and health of people with HIV/AIDS (PWHA), especially when manifested by health professionals. Research on HIV/AIDS stigma has successfully documented negative attitudes towards PWHA among health professionals. However, fewer studies have examined how stigma is manifested behaviorally by health professionals during clinical interactions. Therefore, this study aimed to: (1) examine the behavioral manifestations of HIV/AIDS stigma among physicians in training during clinical interactions, and (2) document the interrelation between HIV/AIDS stigma attitudes and behaviors. We implemented an experimental design using Standardized Patient (SP) simulations, observational techniques, and quantitative questionnaires. The sample consisted of 66 physicians in training in Puerto Rico who engaged in SP encounters with two scenarios: (1) PWHA infected via illegal drug use (experimental condition), and (2) a person with a common cold (control condition). Results evidenced statistically significant differences between both simulations (p = .047), with a higher number of stigma behaviors manifested in the experimental condition. HIV/AIDS stigma attitudes were not correlated with stigma behaviors. Negative emotions associated with drug use were positively associated with drug-related stigmatizing behaviors.     

HIV/AIDS and intersectional stigmas: Examining stigma related behaviours among medical students during service delivery

ABSTRACT

HIV/AIDS stigma remains a major global health issue with detrimental consequences for people with HIV/AIDS (PWHA), especially when manifested by health professionals. Research on HIV/AIDS stigma has documented negative attitudes towards PWHA among health professionals. However, fewer studies have examined how HIV/AIDS stigma is manifested behaviourally during clinical interactions and how it interacts with other stigmas (i.e. drug use, sexism, homophobia). This study aimed to: (1) examine behavioural manifestations of HIV/AIDS stigma among medical students during clinical interactions, and (2) explore HIV/AIDS stigma intersectionality with other stigmas. We implemented an experimental design using Standardised Patient (SP) simulations, observational techniques, and quantitative questionnaires. A total of 237 medical students engaged in SP encounters with three experimental scenarios: (1) PWHA infected via illegal drug use, (2) PWHA infected via unprotected heterosexual relations, (3) PWHA infected via unprotected homosexual relations. They also interacted with a person with common cold (control condition). Results evidenced statistically significant differences between the experimental and control simulation, with higher number of stigma behaviours manifested towards experimental conditions. Results also evidence higher HIV/AIDS stigma towards MSM when compared to the drug user and heterosexual woman SP’s. We discuss the implications of these findings for training of medical students.     

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers: study protocol for the COVID-19 HEalth caRe wOrkErS (HEROES) study

Background

Preliminary country-specific reports suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on the mental health of the healthcare workforce. In this paper, we summarize the protocol of the COVID-19 HEalth caRe wOrkErS (HEROES) study, an ongoing, global initiative, aimed to describe and track longitudinal trajectories of mental health symptoms and disorders among health care workers at different phases of the pandemic across a wide range of countries in Latin America, Europe, Africa, Middle-East, and Asia.

Methods

Participants from various settings, including primary care clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, and mental health facilities, are being enrolled. In 26 countries, we are using a similar study design with harmonized measures to capture data on COVID-19 related exposures and variables of interest during two years of follow-up. Exposures include potential stressors related to working in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as sociodemographic and clinical factors. Primary outcomes of interest include mental health variables such as psychological distress, depressive symptoms, and posttraumatic stress disorders. Other domains of interest include potentially mediating or moderating influences such as workplace conditions, trust in the government, and the country’s income level.

Results

As of August 2021, ~ 34,000 health workers have been recruited. A general characterization of the recruited samples by sociodemographic and workplace variables is presented. Most participating countries have identified several health facilities where they can identify denominators and attain acceptable response rates. Of the 26 countries, 22 are collecting data and 2 plan to start shortly.

Conclusions

This is one of the most extensive global studies on the mental health of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a variety of countries with diverse economic realities and different levels of severity of pandemic and management. Moreover, unlike most previous studies, we included workers (clinical and non-clinical staff) in a wide range of settings.