title: HIV-Related Stigma Among Healthcare Providers in the Deep South.
abstract: Stigma towards people living with HIV (PLWH) in healthcare settings is a barrier to optimal treatment. However, our understanding of attitudes towards PLWH from healthcare providers' perspective in the United States is limited and out-of-date. We assessed HIV-related stigma among healthcare staff in Alabama and Mississippi, using online questionnaires. Participants included 651 health workers (60 % White race; 83 % female). Multivariate regression suggests that several factors independently predict stigmatizing attitudes: Protestant compared to other religions (β = 0.129, p ≤ 0.05), White race compared to other races (β = 0.162, p ≤ 0.001), type of clinic (HIV/STI clinic: β = 0.112, p ≤ 0.01), availability of post-exposure prophylaxis (yes: β = -0.107, p ≤ 0.05), and perceptions of policy enforcement (policies not enforced: β = 0.058, p = p ≤ 0.05). These findings may assist providers wishing to improve the quality care for PLWH. Enforcement of policies prohibiting discrimination may be a useful strategy for reducing HIV-related stigma among healthcare workers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, HHB 460, 1720 2nd Ave South, Birmingham, AL, 35294-1152, USA. kristi.stringer.uab@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kristi L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Stringer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Turan
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Modupeoluwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durojaiye
authors.affiliation: RTI, International, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nyblade
authors.affiliation: Department of Family, Community and Health Systems, School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.|Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Mirjam-Colette
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kempf
authors.affiliation: Department of Criminal Justice, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Bronwen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lichtenstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Janet M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Turan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000407:Alabama; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008922:Mississippi; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D056990:Post-Exposure Prophylaxis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D057545:Social Stigma; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV/AIDS; Healthcare workers; Stigma; United States