HIV prevention intervention to reduce HIV-related stigma: evidence from China.
BACKGROUND
The National Institute of Mental Health Collaborative HIV/Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention Trial provided a unique opportunity to test whether, with the community-based diffusion of HIV/sexually transmitted disease prevention information and an elevated understanding of HIV, the level of stigmatizing attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS in the community would be reduced.


METHODS
A total of 4510 market workers in Fuzhou, China, participated in the study, and longitudinal analyses included study samples of 3785 participants in the 12-month follow-up and 3716 participants in the 24-month follow-up. We graphically examined the change in HIV-related stigma indicators over time between control and intervention groups using boxplot and kernel density estimation. A logistic regression analysis with proportional odds model was further used to examine the intervention effect on HIV-related stigmatizing attitudes.


RESULTS
Compared with no change over time for the control group, the intervention successfully reduced the level of HIV-related stigmatizing attitudes among the target population at the 12-month follow-up, and the effect increased by two-fold (with respect to odds ratios) at the 24-month follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
The intervention demonstrated positive attitude changes associated with HIV-related stigma. Our results show the importance of social norms, rather than simply individual behaviors, in developing and implementing stigma reduction campaigns.
Li
Li
L
Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Center for Community Health, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA. lililili@ucla.edu
Liang
Li-Jung
LJ
Lin
Chunqing
C
Wu
Zunyou
Z
Rotheram-Borus
Mary Jane
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013240:Stereotyping; D055815:Young Adult