Correlates of HIV-Related Stigmas Among African American Church-Affiliated Populations in Kansas City

Abstract

HIV-related stigmas contribute to disparities, and contact with HIV-positive individuals has been suggested to reduce stigma. Faith-based organizations have been recognized as important to stigma reduction efforts among African American populations; however, relatively few church-based studies have measured HIV-related stigma. This study uses baseline data (N = 1,448) from a study with 14 African American churches in Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas, to examine correlates of HIV-related stigmas among church members and community members accessing church social services using two previously validated scales that measure discomfort interacting with individuals with HIV and anticipated stigma or rejection. Knowing someone with HIV was associated with lower discomfort, even after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and sexual risk, HIV knowledge, previous communication about HIV at church, and mean drug and homosexuality stigmas. Knowing someone with HIV was not associated with anticipated stigma or rejection after adjustment. Contact-based interventions hold promise for reducing discomfort around people with HIV among church-affiliated populations.

Leaders of Welcoming and Affirming Churches in North Carolina Discuss their Roles in HIV/AIDS Awareness and Prevention

“…Some build awareness about the disease and offer social support (Chadibe, 2006). Past studies of church efforts to advance HIV/AIDS awareness, education, and prevention have focused on dissemination methods and strategies for addressing stigma (Berkley-Patton et al, 2013;Coleman et al, 2012;Derose et al, 2014Derose et al, , 2023. Hill and McNeely (2013) stress the significance of engaging church leaders in conversations about men who have sex with men (MSM).…”