scholarly journals A qualitative study of barriers to employment experienced by people living with HIV in Toronto and Ottawa

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Perri ◽  
Amy-Craig Neil ◽  
Mark Gaspar ◽  
Charlotte Hunter ◽  
Claire Kendall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Unemployment Insurance ◽  
Employment Status ◽  
Hiv Stigma ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Barriers To Employment ◽  
Working Age ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Common Barriers ◽  
Depth Interviews

Abstract Background Effective treatment has extended the life expectancy and reduced disability in people living with HIV (PLWH). However, previous research has found 45–65% of working-age PLWH were unemployed compared to 5–10% in the general public of North America and Europe. We examined the barriers to gaining employment among PLWH. Methods Thirty-five in-depth interviews were conducted in person or over the phone with PLWH living in Toronto or Ottawa. This included PLWH who were unemployed but actively seeking employment, as well as PLWH who had successfully gained employment through an agency that specifically supported PLWH funded by the AIDS Committee of Toronto. Interviews were conducted between February 2019 and March 2020. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results The majority of participants were between the ages of 40–55 and identified as male. Participants shared many common barriers when describing their attempts to attain or maintain employment. Although varying in employment status at the time of the study, consistent barriers included experiencing HIV stigma in workplaces, challenges overcoming mental health illnesses, and difficulties in navigating social assistance and unemployment insurance programs when pursuing a return to work. Conclusions PLWH face significant barriers when attempting to engage with employment opportunities. Health providers and organizations can do more to support campaigns to end HIV stigma, to support individuals in pursuing employment, and to advocate for policy change that supports reentry into the workforce for PLHA.

scholarly journals Factors for Low Uptake of Antiretroviral Therapy Among HIV Pregnant Women in Mbeya City Council, Tanzania

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 253
Author(s):  
Lawrencia Dominick Mushi ◽  
Eileen A Mhando
Keyword(s):  
Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
City Council ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Key Informants ◽  
Women Living With Hiv ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Depth Interviews

UNAIDS aimed to reach 90% antiretroviral therapy uptake among people living with HIV by 2015. Despite free provision of antiretroviral therapy to pregnant women living with HIV, the uptake remains low. This study describes views of pregnant women about low uptake of antiretroviral therapy among pregnant women living with HIV in Mbeya City Council.The study used a descriptive cross-sectional design and applied mixed research approaches. 44 pregnant women on antiretroviral therapy and 12 health providers were conveniently selected. Four key informants were purposively selected. In-depth interviews with pregnant women and key informants; exit interviews with pregnant women; and observation of health providers were conducted. Audio tape recording from in-depth interviews was transcribed into Swahili to English. Social ecological framework was used in data coding based on individual, social and health service aspects then analysed using Atlas. ti 7. Quantitative data was analyzed in Excel spreadsheet, and presented using tables.The findings from interviews and observations showed that the main individual factors (like treatment-related side effects and religious faith); social factors (like traditional medicine and lack of partner/husband support) and health service factors (like long waiting time and discrepancy in information given to clients during adherence counseling on antiretroviral therapy) were more likely to be associated with low uptake of antiretroviral therapy.This study indicates that various factors at individual, social and health service levels were more likely to cause low uptake of ART. Reasons for discrepant information during counseling by providers remain a question which needs further research.

scholarly journals Psychosocial Determinants of HIV Stigma among Men Who Have Sex with Men in San Francisco, California

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 8031
Author(s):  
Dharma N. Bhatta ◽  
Jennifer Hecht ◽  
Shelley N. Facente
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Hiv Stigma ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Adjusted Risk ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Living With Hiv

Background: Stigma and discrimination are major challenges faced by people living with HIV (PLWH), and stigma continues to be prevalent among PLWH. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 584 men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV between July 2018 and December 2020, designed to better understand which demographic and behavioral characteristics of MSM living with HIV in San Francisco, California are associated with experience of stigma, so that programs and initiatives can be tailored appropriately to minimize HIV stigma’s impacts. Methods: This analysis was conducted with data from San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) encompassing services from multiple different locations in San Francisco. Data about the level of HIV-related stigma experienced were collected through a single question incorporated into programmatic data collection forms at SFAF as part of the client record stored in SFAF’s electronic health record. We performed linear regression to determine the associations between self-reported experiences of HIV stigma and other characteristics among MSM living with HIV. Results: HIV stigma was low overall among MSM living with HIV who are actively engaged in HIV care in San Francisco; however, it was significantly higher for the age groups of 13–29 years (adjusted risk difference (ARD): 0.251, 95% CI: 0.012, 0.489) and 30–49 years (ARD: 0.205, 95% CI: 0.042, 0.367) when compared to the age group of 50 years and older, as well as people who were homeless (ARD: 0.844, 95% CI: 0.120, 1.568), unstably housed (ARD: 0.326, 95% CI: 0.109, 0.543) and/or having mental health concerns (ARD: 0.309, 95% CI: 0.075, 0.544), controlling for race, injection history, and viral load. Conclusions: These findings highlight an opportunity to develop culturally, socially, and racially appropriate interventions to reduce HIV stigma among MSM living with HIV, particularly for younger men and those struggling with housing stability and/or mental health.

scholarly journals Health care providers and HIV

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne C. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Hiv Stigma ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Related Stigma ◽  
Convergent And Divergent Validity ◽  
Living With Hiv

The current investigation seeks to examine the attitudes and beliefs of health care providers in Canada about people living with HIV. The line of research consists of three studies. Study 1 was a qualitative study conducted with a critical lens. The critical lens was used in a series of four focus groups when qualitatively soliciting opinions about the range of attitudes, behaviours and cognitions health care providers may have towards people living with HIV. Study 2 used the information gathered from Study 1 to develop a scale to assess HIV stigma in health care providers. Items were created from examples and themes found in the qualitative study, and were tested via exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, test-retest reliability analysis, and assessed for convergent and divergent validity. Study 3 examined the newly developed scale’s relationship to proposed overlapping stigmas and attitudes, and tested the adapted intersectional model of HIV-related stigma with health care trainees using the newly developed HIV stigma scale as an outcome measure. The line of research found that HIV stigma continues to be a significant problem in the health care system. The scale developed in Study 2 demonstrates that HIV stigma can be conceptualized and assessed as a tripartite model of discrimination, stereotyping and prejudice, and that this conceptualization of HIV stigma supports an intersectional model of overlapping stigmas with homophobia, racism, stigma against injection drug use and stigma against sex work.

HIV Stigma Reduction Through Peer-Led Advocacy Training

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-311
Author(s):  
Susan Reif ◽  
Haley Cooper ◽  
Elena Wilson ◽  
Gina Brown ◽  
Nicole Beckwith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Hiv Stigma ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Advocacy Training ◽  
Ongoing Training ◽  
Related Stigma ◽  
Training And Support ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The U.S

HIV-related stigma is pervasive in the U.S. South and has potential negative effects on health outcomes and emotional well-being, and may act as a barrier to HIV-related advocacy among people living with HIV (PLWH). This article reports on the preliminary outcomes associated with participation in an HIV advocacy training for PLWH, LEAD, that included education and skills building for reducing HIV-related stigma. Fifty-seven PLWH at four sites in the U.S. South participated in the retreat-style training and completed a survey measuring stigma and comfort engaging in advocacy prior to and after the worshop. Participation was associated with statistically significant reduction in internalized HIV stigma and increase in comfort with participation in advocacy; however, participants reported a need for ongoing training and support to further increase comfort with advocacy participation. Although more research is needed on the LEAD Workshop, it shows promise as an option for reducing HIV-related stigma among PLWH.

scholarly journals Predictors of HIV stigma among health workers in the Cape Coast metropolis, Ghana

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Prah ◽  
Anna Hayfron-Benjamin ◽  
Mohammed Abdulai ◽  
Obed Lasim ◽  
Yvonne Nartey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Workers ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Hiv Stigma ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Cape Coast ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Stigma Reduction ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Living With Hiv

Background: Stigma against people living with HIV (PLHIV) among health workers remains a barrier to the provision of needed care to HIV patients worldwide. We sought to investigate predictors of HIV stigma among health workers in Cape Coast, Ghana. Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted in three hospitals from November 2016 to February 2017. The study made use of a pre-existing self-administered questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis and Pearson’s coefficient tests were performed to determine the relationship between the dependent variable, stigmatized attitudes of health workers and some independent variables, and to determine which of the independent variables predict stigma amongst health care workers. Results: A total of 331 health workers of different categories participated. Respondents’ personal opinions on HIV, fears/worries of getting infected and category of staff {F(3,327)= 23.934 p<0.00 }, R2 = 0.180) significantly predicted their stigmatizing behaviour. Compared to other health workers, nurses had higher scores for stigmatizing behaviour. Conclusions: the study found evidence of discriminatory and stigmatizing behaviour towards PLHIV by health workers. Stigma reduction programmes aimed at health workers should be strengthened at all health facilities that provide care to PLHIV.

scholarly journals Associations Between Experienced and Internalized HIV Stigma, Adversarial Growth, and Health Outcomes in a Nationwide Sample of People Aging with HIV in Germany

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jochen Drewes ◽  
Phil C. Langer ◽  
Jennifer Ebert ◽  
Dieter Kleiber ◽  
Burkhard Gusy
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Indirect Effect ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Hiv Stigma ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Internalized Stigma ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Adversarial Growth ◽  
Living With Hiv

Abstract HIV-related stigmatization and adversarial growth are known to influence health outcomes in people living with HIV. But not much is known how these psychosocial factors are related to each other and how they interact to influence health outcomes. We tested whether the effect of experienced and internalized stigma on mental health and self-rated health is mediated by adversarial growth, and whether each of these factors is uniquely associated with health outcomes. In our sample of 839 people aging with HIV in Germany based on a cross-sectional study design we did not find an indirect effect of experienced HIV stigma on health outcomes and a very small indirect effect of internalized HIV stigma. All variables were significant predictors of health outcomes in multiple regression analyses.

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