Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the 10-item version of the HIV Stigma Scale (HSS-10) in a sample of African Americans with HIV/AIDS.Method: One hundred and ten African Americans living with HIV/AIDS were recruited from 3 case management agencies in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Measurement structure of the HSS-10 was evaluated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis.Results: Factor analysis results support a 2-factor factorial structure for the HSS-10 (social stigma and self-stigma). The HSS-10 demonstrates good reliability and factorial validity, and it correlates moderately with related constructs in the expected directions.Conclusion: HSS-10 is a brief, reliable, and valid instrument for assessing HIV stigma and can be used as a clinical rehabilitation and research tool to assess the contribution of stigma as a major cause of health disparities and outcomes in African Americans living with HIV/AIDS.
Enhancing Cultural and Contextual Intervention Strategies to Reduce HIV/AIDS Among African Americans
