 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Dalia I Garcia, MA, SPH - Health Research and Policy Centers, University of Illinois at Chicago, 850 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60607, 312-355-1180, dgarcia@uic.edu, Jesus Ramirez-Valles, PhD, MPH, Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois-Chicago School of Public Health, m/c 923, 2035 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612, and Norberto Valbuena, MS, Institute of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3101 S. Dearborn, LS/252, Chicago, IL 60616.
HIV/AIDS stigma can have serious consequences for health. The stigma associated with HIV may influence people’s decision regarding whether and when to be tested for the virus, it may deter people from seeking medical, social and psychological care, and preventing disclosure of serostatus to others, which in turns may increase isolation and psychological distress. This study analyzed 80 life histories of Latino gay men (40 in Chicago; 40 in San Francisco) of which 41% were HIV positive. Using content and interpretative analysis, HIV-related stigma was examined. The analysis of the data resulted in the identification of three areas of HIV/AIDS-related stigma: perceived (e.g., most people are uncomfortable around someone with HIV/AIDS), experienced (e.g., my family is ashamed of me because I have HIV/AIDS), and internalized (e.g., I am embarrassed to tell others that I have HIV/AIDS). An instrument with 49 items was developed in English and Spanish to measure the 3 areas of stigma (17 perceived, 17 experienced, and 15 internalized). Analyses of these areas will make comparisons across city, HIV status, and levels of acculturation. Measures of HIV/AIDS stigma need to be culturally and context based to increase validity.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Latino Mental Health
Related Web page: www.uic.edu/sph/2comunidades/
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.