Evidence demonstrates that
HIV stigma undermines the psychological and physical health of people living
with HIV (PLWH). Yet, PLWH describe engaging in HIV activism to challenge
stigma, and research suggests that individuals may benefit from activism.
We examine
associations between experiences of HIV stigma and HIV activism, and test
whether HIV activists benefit from greater well-being than non-activists.
Participants include 93 PLWH recruited from drop-in centers, housing programs,
and other organizations providing services to PLWH in the Northeastern USA
between 2012 and 2013 (mean age = 50 years; 56% Black, 20% White, 18% Other;
61% non-Latino(a), 39% Latino(a); 59% male, 38% female, 3% transgender; 82%
heterosexual, 15% sexual minority). Participants completed a cross-sectional
written survey.
Results of regression analyses suggest that PLWH who
experienced greater enacted stigma engaged in greater HIV activism.
Anticipated, internalized, and perceived public stigma, however, were unrelated
to HIV activism. Moreover, results of a multivariate analysis of variance
suggest that HIV activists reported greater social network integration, greater
social well-being, greater engagement in active coping with discrimination, and
greater meaning in life than non-activists. Yet, HIV activists also reported
somewhat greater depressive symptoms than non-activists, suggesting that the
association between HIV activism and well-being is complex. By differentiating
between HIV stigma mechanisms, the current study provides a more nuanced
understanding of which experiences of HIV stigma may be associated with HIV
activism. It further suggests that engagement in activism may offer benefits to
PLWH, while raising the possibility that activists could experience greater
depressive symptoms than non-activists.
Given the preliminary nature of this
study, future research should continue to examine these complex associations
between HIV stigma, activism, and well-being among PLWH. As this work
continues, PLWH, as well as interventionists and clinicians invested in
improving well-being among PLWH, should carefully weigh the benefits and
potential costs of activism.
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By:
- 1 Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University , New Haven , CT , USA.
- 2 Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Medicine , Boston Children's Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.
- 3 Department of Pediatrics , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA.
- 4 Department of Psychology , Pace University , New York , NY , USA.
- 5 AIDS Connecticut , Hartford , CT , USA.
- AIDS Care. 2016 Feb 6:1-5.
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