HIV/AIDS stigma and religiosity among African American women.
African American women are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS compared with other ethnicities, accounting for two-thirds (67%) of all women diagnosed with HIV. Despite their increased risk of HIV infection, few studies have been conducted to understand culture-specific factors leading to their vulnerability. Given the central role of religious organizations in African American communities, this study explored whether and to what extent religiosity plays a role in stigma toward HIV/AIDS. Results of hierarchical regression showed that after controlling for key factors, religiosity was a significant factor predicting the level of religious stigma. Those with high religiosity displayed significantly higher stigma, associating HIV/AIDS with a curse or punishment from God. Verbatim responses to an open-ended question also revealed seemingly ingrained prejudice against HIV/AIDS from a religious perspective. The findings point to the important role of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in addressing HIV/AIDS issues within African American communities.
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A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA.
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D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003469:Culture; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012067:Religion; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires