New Study Reveals Impact of Internalized Stigma on People Living with HIV

Strategic Insights -

A recent study published in the AIDS and Behavior journal has highlighted the significant impact of internalized stigma on the mental health and well-being of individuals living with HIV. The research, conducted by a team of experts at Koc University in Istanbul, Turkey, aimed to develop and validate an updated tool for assessing HIV-related internalized stigma. The study involved 249 participants from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort (MACS)-Women's Interagency HIV study (WIHS) Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS) in the United States. The findings suggest that the new internalized stigma scale, named HIV-related Internalized Stigma Scale (HISS), is a reliable and valid tool for measuring HIV-related internalized stigma. The study's results indicate that higher levels of internalized stigma are associated with poorer mental health, well-being, and sub-optimal HIV outcomes, such as poorer antiretroviral (ART) adherence.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that HIV-related internalized stigma consistently predicts poorer mental health, well-being, and sub-optimal HIV outcomes, such as poorer ART adherence.
  • The researchers developed a new tool, the HIV-related Internalized Stigma Scale (HISS), which was validated through Bayesian confirmatory factor analysis and found to be a reliable and valid measure of HIV-related internalized stigma.
  • The HISS was found to be associated with ART adherence, depression, and PTSD severity, providing evidence of its concurrent and convergent validity.
  • The study suggests that the HISS can be useful for ongoing research in the fields of epidemiology and psychology, as well as for evaluating interventions aimed at addressing HIV-related internalized stigma.
  • The study's findings have implications for the development of interventions to address internalized stigma and improve mental health outcomes for people living with HIV.

Statistics:

  • 249 participants involved in the study from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort (MACS)-Women's Interagency HIV study (WIHS) Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS) in the United States.
  • 8-item new HISS yields a single factor solution, with factor loadings ranging from 0.68 to 0.94.
  • Significant associations found between the HISS and the negative self-image subscale of the HSS (r = 0.68), ART adherence (r = -0.39), depression (r = 0.55), and PTSD severity (r = 0.45).

Sources:

  • Development and Validation of an Updated Internalized HIV Stigma Scale Among People Living with HIV. AIDS and Behavior, 2025.
  • Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey.
  • Multicenter AIDS Cohort (MACS)-Women's Interagency HIV study (WIHS) Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS).
  • Springer|plenum Publishers, 233 Spring St, New York, NY 10013, USA.