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Addressing HIV-Related Stigma and Resulting Discrimination in Africa

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The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) is working to investigate the causes, manifestations, and consequences of HIV/AIDS-related stigma and resulting discriminatory acts in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Zambia. The research is designed to analyse the communities and their institutions (health facilities, media, the workplace, schools, and religious groups) to the end of finding ways to reduce barriers to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care, and support programmes. A special focus is the way in which characteristics such as gender, age, education, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status influence this phenomenon.
Communication Strategies

The study design and focus reflect local priorities in each country. In general, research will focus on one rural and one urban community. Community members will help researchers understand the history of the epidemic and the tone of the responses to it. Qualitative methods will be utilised, including interviews, focus group discussions, local narratives, and drama. For example, in Ethiopia, people with HIV/AIDS will keep diaries and will be interviewed to record their experiences with stigma. Research in Tanzania will include a longitudinal sub-study of those who sought test results; Zambia's project will involve interviewing households twice per month for four months to develop an understanding of both the relationship between stigma related to tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS and the impact of such stigma on children.

Development Issues

Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS.

Key Points

HIV-related stigma has been identified as a significant challenge to slowing the spread of the disease. Fear of being identified as being HIV-positive may prevent people from learning their serostatus, changing unsafe behaviour, and caring for sick relatives. Fear of mistreatment has been shown to prevent people from participating in voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) and programmes to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). Stigma and associated discrimination also cause suffering for those living with HIV/AIDS and their families. The effect of this stigma is often compounded for those with disease, as they are often members of already disempowered groups. Although this problem is being explored, there is very little data to inform the design of related interventions.


Leadership advisory councils composed of local leaders were formed to inform research design. These councils will assist researchers in using and disseminating findings. The CHANGE Project/Academy for Educational Development (AED) will use the research findings to develop pilot interventions. These findings are diseeminated as fieldwork is conducted, and are available by visiting the ICRW site. Those who would like to receive ongoing updates by email may contact abartelme@icrw.org.

Partners

ICRW, USAID, CHANGE Project/AED, the Miz-Hasab Research Center, Department of Psychiatry at Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, ZAMBART (a collaborative project between University of Zambia's School of Medicine and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine), and Kara Counseling and Training Trust (KCTT).

Sources

Letter sent from Kerry MacQuarrie to The Communication Initiative on June 4, 2002; and description of the programme in PDF format.