title: Predictors of HIV-related stigmas among African American and Latino religious congregants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To inform church-based stigma interventions by exploring dimensions of HIV stigma among African American and Latino religious congregants and determining how these are related to drug addiction and homosexuality stigmas and knowing someone HIV-positive.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-person, self-administered surveys of congregants 18+ years old across 2 African American and 3 Latino churches (n = 1,235, response rate 73%) in a western U.S. city with high HIV prevalence. Measures included 12 items that captured dimensions of HIV stigma, a 5-item scale that assessed attitudes toward people who are addicted to drugs, a 7-item scale assessing attitudes toward homosexuality, and questions regarding sociodemographics and previous communication about HIV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the survey participants, 63.8% were women, mean age was 40.2 years, and 34.4% were African American, 16.8% were U.S.-born Latinos, 16.0% were foreign-born, English-speaking Latinos, and 32.9% were foreign-born, Spanish-speaking Latinos. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified 4 dimensions of HIV stigma: discomfort interacting with people with HIV (4 items, α = .86), feelings of shame "if you had HIV" (3 items, α = .78), fears of rejection "if you had HIV" (3 items, α = .71), and feelings of blame toward people with HIV (2 items, α = .65). Across all dimensions, after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and previous communication about HIV, knowing someone with HIV was associated with lower HIV stigma, and greater stigma concerning drug addiction and homosexuality were associated with higher HIV stigma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Congregation-based HIV stigma reduction interventions should consider incorporating contact with HIV-affected people. It may also be helpful to address attitudes toward drug addiction and sexual orientation. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation.
authors.forename: Kathryn Pitkin
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Derose
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation.
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Kanouse
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bogart
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation.
authors.forename: Beth Ann
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation.
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Stucky
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation.
authors.forename: Malcolm V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation.
authors.forename: Karen R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Flórez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012067:Religion; D057566:Self Report; D057545:Social Stigma; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology