Person-centred language and HIV research: a cross-sectional examination of stigmatising terminology in medical literature

Brazilian Version of the Health Care Provider HIV/AIDS Stigma Scale: Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Evaluation Among Healthcare Students

We aimed to validate the Health Care Provider HIV/AIDS Stigma Scale (HPASS) among healthcare students in Brazil. The validation process occurred in three phases from August 2022 to July 2023: translation and cross-cultural adaptation; content validity assessment involving four experts; and evaluation of psychometric properties among 553 healthcare students from the Federal University of Espírito Santo. We used exploratory factor analysis and convergent validity for structural validation. The average scale content validity index was 0.90, while the evaluation of validity evidence based on the internal structure indicated a robust explanatory model. Parallel analysis indicated that the scale is composed by two dimensions: "Discrimination/Prejudice" and "Stereotype"; the composite reliability values for these dimensions were 0.96 and 0.85, respectively. The Brazilian version of HPASS has shown to be a simple, reliable, and psychometrically valid measure to quantify HIV stigma among healthcare students who speak Brazilian Portuguese.Resumen El objetivo de este estudio fue validar la "Health Care Provider HIV/AIDS Stigma Scale" (HPASS) entre estudiantes de salud en Brasil. El proceso de validación se llevó a cabo en tres etapas: traducción y adaptación transcultural; evaluación de la validez de contenido; y evaluación de las propiedades psicométricas con estudiantes de salud de la Universidad Federal de Espírito Santo. El índice de validez de contenido promedio de la escala fue de 0.90, mientras que la evaluación de la evidencia de validez basada en la estructura interna indicó un modelo explicativo sólido. El análisis paralelo indicó que la escala está compuesta por dos dimensiones: "Discriminación/Prejuicio" y "Estereotipo". La versión brasileña de HPASS ha demostrado ser una medida simple, confiable y psicométricamente válida para cuantificar el estigma del VIH entre estudiantes de salud que hablan portugués brasileño.

The presence of person-centered language in orthopedic-related amputation research: a cross-sectional analysis

Context

Amputations are routine in orthopedics, specifically during trauma and when patients have recurrent surgical site infections. When undergoing amputations, patients must combat the psychosocial factors associated with the loss of an extremity, including stigmatization.

Objectives

This study analyzes the presence of person-centered language (PCL) within amputation-related orthopedic publications in the top orthopedic journals.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis with a database search on February 14, 2021 utilizing PubMed. Utilizing a previously published search string, we isolated studies that were published in the top 20 orthopedic journals based on the Google h5-index. In addition to the top 20 orthopedic journals, we included the top two hand and foot & ankle journals in our search to incorporate more amputation literature. Our search yielded 687 returns. The sample was then randomized, and the first 300 studies that fit our inclusion criteria were examined for prespecified non-PCL terminology.

Results

Our results show that 157 (52.2%) studies were adherent to PCL according to the American Medical Association’s Manual of Style 10th Edition (AMAMS). Of the 143 (47.7%) studies that were not adherent to PCL, 51 studies (35.7%) had more than one type of non-PCL language. The term “amputee,” which is being labeled as identity-first language (IFL), was found in 101 articles (33.7%). Further investigation found that 73.3% (74/101) of the studies containing IFL were found to have other non-PCL terms. Of the other studies in the sample, non-PCL was found 34.7% (88/199) of the time. This analysis was done due to the discrepancies in stigmatization of the term “amputee.” No statistical association was found between adherence to PCL and study characteristics.

Conclusions

Our findings show that amputation literature within the top orthopedic journals has limited adherence to PCL. Additionally, the use of the term “amputee,” which is widely accepted by the amputation community, resulted in a greater rate of non-PCL terminology within orthopedic amputation literature. Efforts should be implemented within orthopedics to avoid the use of stigmatizing language, regarding individuals that underwent amputations, to minimize psychosocial stressors.