Reducing AIDS-related stigma in developing countries: The importance of theory- and evidence-based interventions

• Published in: Psychology, health & medicine Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 450 - 460
• Main Authors: Bos, Arjan E.R., Schaalma, Herman P., Pryor, John B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01.08.2008; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - psychology; Africa; AIDS; Biological and medical sciences; Culture; Developing Countries; Evidence based; Evidence-Based Practice; Health Education; Health Plan Implementation; Health Promotion; HIV; HIV Infections - prevention & control; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV Infections - transmission; Humans; intervention; Interventions; Medical sciences; Mental health; Needs assessment; Prejudice; Prevention. Health policy. Planification; Psychological Theory; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; review; Social Distance; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Social Values; stigma; Stigmatization; Africa; Social environment; Human; Immunopathology; Sanitary program; Health promotion; Stigma; Evidence-based practice; Mental health; Developing countries; AIDS; Immune deficiency; Recommendation; Infection; Theoretical model; Health policy; Viral disease; Planning; Public health
• ISSN: 1354-8506; 1465-3966
• DOI: 10.1080/13548500701687171

In many developing countries persons living with HIV and AIDS experience strong stigma and discrimination, and AIDS-related stigma has an enormous negative impact on their social relationships, access to resources, and psychological well being. Moreover, AIDS-related stigma hampers HIV-related health promotion, including voluntary HIV counselling and testing. In this article, we will argue that programs to reduce AIDS-related stigma are most likely to be effective if these programs are based upon thorough needs assessments, theory- and evidence-based intervention strategies and collaborative planning. A protocol for health promotion programs design is outlined. Furthermore, psychosocial correlates of AIDS-related stigma in developing countries, social-psychological theories that might be useful in designing intervention strategies to reduce stigmatisation and successful elements of previous interventions aimed at stigma reduction are discussed. It is concluded that psychological theory does provide guidelines for the development of stigma-reducing intervention programs, but that such programs can only be effective when based upon context-specific needs assessment and collaborative planning.