HIV Stigma and Physical Health Symptoms: Do Social Support, Adaptive Coping, and/or Identity Centrality Act as Resilience Resources?

Abstract

Despite efforts to eliminate it at the societal level, HIV stigma persists and continues to threaten the health of people living with HIV (PLWH). We tested whether social support, adaptive coping, and/or HIV identity centrality act as resilience resources by buffering people from the negative impact of enacted and/or anticipated stigma on stress and ultimately HIV symptoms. Ninety-three PLWH completed a survey, and data analyses tested for evidence of mediation and moderation. Results demonstrated that instrumental social support, perceived community support, and HIV identity centrality buffered participants from the association between anticipated stigma and HIV symptoms. That is, anticipated stigma was associated with HIV symptoms via stress only at low levels of these resources. No resources buffered participants from the impact of enacted stigma. Identifying and enhancing resilience resources among PLWH is critical for protecting PLWH from the harmful effects of stigma.

Dificuldades do viver com HIV/Aids: Entraves na qualidade de vida

“…weight gain). (13) This constant reassertion of placing them as sick and marginalized individuals, by their own families and/or society, affects self-esteem. This effect, associated with the internalization of stigma and prejudice, can trigger a progressive isolation reaction, as a way to protect against future prejudice, culminating in negative psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression.…”

Avances en la construcción del Inventario de Estigma relacionado con el VIH (IE-VIH) en Buenos Aires, Argentina

“…Este concepto remite a otros enfoques teóricos ya ampliamente desarrollados en las ciencias sociales, como el de interseccionalidad (Bauer, 2014;Crenshaw, 1989). Y es una de las razones principales por las que el estigma relacionado con el VIH es tan fuerte (Earnshaw, Smith, Chaudoir, Rivet Amico & Copenhaver, 2013;Earnshaw, Lang, Lippitt, Jin & Chaudoir, 2015;Nyblade, 2006). Tomando como base la conceptualización general de Link y Phelan (2001) e integrando los aportes de otros autores (Berger, Ferrans & Lashley, 2001;Deacon, 2006;Earnshaw et al, 2013;Hatzenbuehler, Phelan & Link, 2013;Herek, Capitanio & Widaman, 2002;Link & Phelan, 2006;Ogden & Nyblade, 2005), es posible definir al estigma relacionado con el VIH como la ocurrencia simultánea, en el marco de relaciones sociales de poder, de etiquetamiento, estereotipación y separación grupal, acompañados de emocionalidad negativa, dirigida a personas por el hecho de vivir con VIH.…”

The Effect of Stigma on Treatment Adherence among HIV-positive Alcohol Users in Haiti

“…Enacted stigma among PLWH has been associated with poor health outcomes, in terms of both physical and psychological well-being (Earnshaw et al, 2015;). Enacted stigma has been associated with worsening HIV progression such as lower CD4 counts, uncontrolled viral load, opportunistic infections and faster progression to AIDS Holzemer et al, 2007).…”

“…The notion of "resilience resources" was constructed to identify the modifiable and strength-based moderators that have effects on the coping mechanisms adopted by PLWH (Earnshaw et al, 2013b). Among these resources, social support and identity centrality constitute the two most crucial elements (Earnshaw, et al, 2015;Pascoe & Smart Richman, 2009). …”

“…Social support (Wallston, Alagna, DeVellis, & DeVellis, 1983) has been categorized into two broad domains: emotional/informational support (which includes the expression and exchange of positive feelings and emotions, particularly empathy, love, and trust) and instrumental/tangible support (which represents the more tangible forms, such as physical assistance or material goods and services; Earnshaw et al, 2015;Cho, Zunin, Chao, Heiby, & McKoy, 2012;Taylor, 2011;Heaney & Israel, 2008). Both of these social support components, emotional/informational support and instrumental/tangible social support, are identified as key resilience resources that moderate the relationship between stigma and stress (Earnshaw et al, 2015). Social support has been shown to reduce depression in PLWH (Asante, 2012;Vyavaharkar et al, 2011) and associated with lower levels of mental health problems (Lam, Naar-King, & Wright, 2007;.…”