HIV Stigma and Social Capital in Women Living With HIV.
Yvette P Cuca, Alice Asher, Jennifer Okonsky and 3 others
PMID 27697368WHAT IT FOUND
Most women living with HIV perceived moderate stigma, but overall social capital did not predict it.
Feeling undervalued by society, however, was strongly linked to higher internalized stigma and negative self-image. Younger women reported significantly more stigma than older women.
Key findings
01Women who felt less valued by society (low 'Value of Life' social capital score) had significantly higher total perceived stigma and negative self-image scores.
02Overall social capital, income, education, and disclosure status were not significant predictors of total perceived stigma in the primary model.
03Younger age was significantly associated with higher perceived HIV-related stigma, with scores declining by over one point for each additional year of age.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Convenience sampling from HIV service organizations may limit generalizability. Cross-sectional design prevents determination of causality between social capital and stigma. The social capital measure used focuses on community-level capital and may not capture individual-level nuances or 'bridging capital' across different social worlds. Small sample sizes for certain racial/ethnic groups (e.g., Asian/Pacific Islander) limit the interpretation of subgroup differences.
Declared interests
The authors report no real or perceived vested interests that relate to this article that could be construed as a conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that general social capital or economic status protects against HIV stigma. The study found no significant association between overall social capital, income, or education and perceived stigma. The protective factor identified was specifically the subjective feeling of being valued by society.