title: HIV/AIDS stigma: reliability and validity of a new measurement instrument in Chennai, India.
abstract: HIV/AIDS stigma is a frequently cited barrier to HIV prevention, including voluntary counseling and testing. A reliable and valid measurement instrument is critical to empirically assess the extent and effects of HIV/AIDS stigma. The paper reports the development and psychometric testing of an HIV/AIDS stigma scale among 200 men in India. The resulting 24-item scale and the four subscales had good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha overall was 0.81; subscales were 0.86, 0.73, 0.72 and 0.76, respectively). The scale and distinct subscales suggest a valid and reliable measure for HIV/AIDS stigma in a setting with highly prevalent HIV risk behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. czelaya@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: Carla E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Zelaya
authors.forename: Sudha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sivaram
authors.forename: Sethulakshmi C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Srikrishnan
authors.forename: Suniti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: David D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Celentano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D011287:Prejudice; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014894:Weights and Measures / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult