title: Power brokering, empowering, and educating: the role of home-based care professionals in the reduction of HIV-related stigma in Kenya.
abstract: In this article the authors report on how home-based care (HBC) professionals reduce stigmatizing behavior in Kenya. This study was part of an action research project that evaluated the introduction of HBC. HBC professionals coordinate the delivery of HIV/AIDS services at a district level and educate community-based health workers in HBC. Understanding how HBC professionals reduce stigma is crucial to reduce, prevent, and treat HIV/AIDS. Fifty HBC professionals participated in 27 focus group interviews over 18 months. Stigma featured strongly when they discussed barriers to the introduction of HBC. Using sociological theory, the authors organized the data into five themes: Power broking and mobilization, Stigma as a social construction, Community and structural interventions, Educating and training people, and Historical context. The HBC professionals appear to operate at mostly individual and community levels in their efforts to challenge stigma, and in spite of the difficulties they appear to be having some impact.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, University of Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Waterman
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: Len
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gellard
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Keefe
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Olang
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ayuyo
authors.forename: Elly
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Obwanda
authors.forename: Vitalis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ogwethe
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ondiege
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000193:education; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D011209:Power, Psychological; D024382:Professional Role; D011788:Quality of Life; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013240:Stereotyping