Community Stigma Towards People Living with HIV in Rural Vietnam
Author Information
Author(s): Pharris Anastasia, Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Tishelman Carol, Marrone Gaetano, Nguyen Thi Kim Chuc, Brugha Ruairí, Thorson Anna
Primary Institution: Karolinska Institutet
Hypothesis
Understanding and measuring stigma within communities can help prevent stigma towards persons living with HIV.
Conclusion
Stigma towards people living with HIV is high in this rural community, particularly among women and those with less education.
Supporting Evidence
- 67% of respondents agreed that PLHIV were promiscuous.
- 64% believed PLHIV should feel ashamed.
- 69% would feel ashamed if a family member had HIV.
- 60% stated they would not want to be friends with someone with HIV.
- 70% felt it was not safe for a child to play with someone with HIV.
Takeaway
People in rural Vietnam often feel negatively about those living with HIV, especially women and less educated individuals.
Methodology
An exploratory population-based survey with 1874 randomly sampled adults was conducted, using latent class analysis and multinomial logistic regression to analyze stigma patterns.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the use of only female interviewers may have influenced men's responses.
Limitations
The study may be limited by social desirability bias and the inability to account for design effects in the analysis.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 943 women and 931 men, with a mean age of 37.4 years, and varied educational backgrounds.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.42-2.37 for women in the highest stigma group
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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