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Poku OB, Ahmed A, Liotta L, Kluisza L, Robbins RN, Abrams EJ, Mellins CA. Aidsimpact 2023: "We did more than survive": lessons learned from studies of risk and resilience of young people growing up with HIV and mental health needs. AIDS Care 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38446048 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2024.2308745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Despite advances in HIV-treatment, adolescents and young adults (AYA) with HIV (AYAHIV) face myriad challenges. They are less likely than children and older adults to be virally suppressed and are at higher risk for mental health conditions compared to their peers who do not have HIV. AYA are also developing in the context of numerous biomedical, neurocognitive, and psychosocial developmental changes. Normative challenges during this time can be exacerbated by HIV and can result in significant physical and mental health problems. Yet, many AYAHIV have shown resilience with positive assets and resources and few health or mental health problems. Historically research has had a risk-focused approach to understanding AYAHIV needs. This paper discusses the rationale for a shift from a risk-focused only approach to one that examines AYAHIV needs from both a risk and resilience perspective. This paper presents: (1) epidemiological data on AYAHIV; (2) conceptual models for understanding both risk (e.g., poverty, stress, trauma, limited resources) and resilience/protective factors (e.g., family and peer support, future orientation, problem-solving skills); (3) global data examining risk and protective factors for physical and mental health challenges; and (4) promising interventions that incorporate elements of resilience to improve overall outcomes among AYAHIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ohemaa B Poku
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Afifa Ahmed
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lucy Liotta
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Luke Kluisza
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Reuben N Robbins
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elaine J Abrams
- ICAP at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health and Department of Pediatrics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Claude A Mellins
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Winiker AK, Eschliman EL, Kisanga EP, Poku OB, Candelario J, Takahashi LM, Tobin K. Multilevel experiences of carceral violence in Los Angeles, California: first-hand accounts from a racially diverse sample of transgender women. Cult Health Sex 2024; 26:159-173. [PMID: 36995142 PMCID: PMC10731923 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2023.2194353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Transgender women face a disproportionate burden of carceral violence, or violence related to policing and the criminal legal system, with transgender women of colour experiencing even greater disparities. Several frameworks conceptualise the mechanisms through which violence impacts transgender women. However, none of them directly explore the role of carceral violence, particularly as it is experienced by transgender women themselves. Sixteen in-depth interviews were conducted with a racially/ethnically diverse sample of transgender women in Los Angeles between May and July 2020. Participants were between 23 - 67 years old. Participants identified as Black (n = 4), Latina (n = 4), white (n = 2), Asian (n = 2), and Native American (n = 2). Interviews assessed experiences of multilevel violence, including from police and law enforcement. Deductive and inductive coding methods were used to identify and explore common themes concerning carceral violence. Experiences of law enforcement-perpetrated interpersonal violence were common and included physical, sexual and verbal abuse. Participants also highlighted structural violence, including misgendering, the non-acceptance of transgender identities, and police intentionally failing to uphold laws that could protect transgender women. These results demonstrate the pervasive, multilevel nature of carceral violence perpetrated against transgender women and suggest avenues for future framework development, trans-specific expansions of carceral theory, and system-wide institutional change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail K. Winiker
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Evan L. Eschliman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Edwina P. Kisanga
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ohemaa B. Poku
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Division of Gender, Sexuality, and Health, Columbia University and New York Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Lois M. Takahashi
- Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Karin Tobin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Garriott A, Gulubane G, Poku OB, Archibald N, Entaile P, Tshume O, Phoi O, Matshaba M, Ahmed CV, Lowenthal ED, Brooks M. Youth perspectives of working with near peer youth lay counsellors: The Safe Haven Pilot. J Community Psychol 2023; 51:3029-3043. [PMID: 37470744 PMCID: PMC10819599 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.23080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Youth living with HIV (YLWH) have higher rates of common mental disorders (CMDs) when compared with HIV-negative youth. We adapted the Friendship Bench to create a problem solving-based counselling intervention in Botswana delivered by near peer youth lay counsellors for YLWH called Safe Haven. In August 2020, and from June to August 2021, we conducted 22 semistructured interviews with youth aged 13-25 years with mild-to-moderate symptoms of CMDs. Two independent coders carried out an inductive thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews with discrepancies discussed to consensus. Safe Haven was seen as largely acceptable among the youth. Youth felt Safe Haven was a place where they had freedom of expression and could receive practical advice from well-trained and approachable counsellors. Trained youth lay peer counsellors show promise to meet the mental health needs of mild and moderately symptomatic youth, where mental health professionals are in short supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Garriott
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Ohemaa B. Poku
- Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health, New York, New York, USA
- Division of Gender, Sexuality, and Health, HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nicole Archibald
- Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Ontibile Tshume
- Botswana Baylor Children’s Clinical Centre of Excellence, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Onkemetse Phoi
- Botswana Baylor Children’s Clinical Centre of Excellence, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Mogomotsi Matshaba
- Botswana Baylor Children’s Clinical Centre of Excellence, Gaborone, Botswana
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Charisse V. Ahmed
- Department of General Internal Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Elizabeth D. Lowenthal
- Global Health Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Merrian Brooks
- Botswana UPENN Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
- Global Health Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Poku OB, Smith BD, Pollock AM, Dabney B, Wallace S, Brown S, Eng E, Mendelson T, Saleem HT, Linton SL. Virtual Implementation of a Photovoice Project With Youth in Baltimore During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Health Promot Pract 2023:15248399231193002. [PMID: 37605565 PMCID: PMC10881890 DOI: 10.1177/15248399231193002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
This article describes the virtual implementation of Photovoice activities conducted as part of a project that sought to gather youths' perspectives on neighborhood and housing conditions, community redevelopment, and health and well-being in Baltimore. We discuss the original in-person design and how activities were implemented virtually, in light of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) physical distancing guidelines. Challenges to virtual implementation included establishing rapport with youth and families during recruitment and data collection, encouraging active participation during discussion sessions, and varying technological skills among youth. Facilitators of virtual implementation included partnering with a community organization, piloting virtual sessions to assess participant's technology skills, and providing various ways for youth to participate during discussion sessions, engage in group activities, and receive hands-on instruction. This article showcases the ways in which virtual implementation of Photovoice activities can be successfully implemented with youth and provides recommendations for future Photovoice projects that include virtual activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ohemaa B Poku
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bianca D Smith
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Breyanna Dabney
- Pixie Photography, Baltimore, MD, USA
- HeartSmiles, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Eugenia Eng
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tamar Mendelson
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Haneefa T Saleem
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sabriya L Linton
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Poku OB, Eschliman EL, Entaile P, Rampa S, Mehta H, Tal D, Silvert L, Li T, Becker TD, Govindasamy D, Stockton MA, Adedimeji A, Ho-Foster A, Blank MB, Dangerfield DT, Yang LH, Murray SM. "It's Better If I Die Because Even in the Hospital, There is a Stigma, People Still Gossip": Gossip as a Culturally Shaped Labeling Process and Its Implications for HIV-Related Stigma in Botswana. AIDS Behav 2023; 27:2535-2547. [PMID: 36646928 PMCID: PMC10350478 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-023-03980-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
This study qualitatively explores HIV-related gossip as both a manifestation and driver of HIV-related stigma, which is a known barrier to HIV testing and treatment in Botswana. Data were elicited from 5 focus group discussions and 46 semi-structured in-depth interviews with individuals living with HIV and community members with undisclosed serostatus in Gaborone, Botswana in 2017 (n = 84). Directed content analysis using the 'What Matters Most' theoretical framework identified culturally salient manifestations of HIV-related stigma; simultaneous use of Modified Labeling Theory allowed interpretation and stepwise organization of how the social phenomenon of gossip leads to adverse HIV outcomes. Results indicated that HIV-related gossip can diminish community standing through culturally influenced mechanisms, in turn precipitating poor psychosocial well-being and worsened HIV-related outcomes. These harms may be offset by protective factors, such as appearing healthy, accepting one's HIV status, and community education about the harms of gossip.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ohemaa B Poku
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Evan L Eschliman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Shathani Rampa
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Haitisha Mehta
- Department of Clinical and Counselling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Danielle Tal
- Department of Clinical and Counselling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lea Silvert
- Department of Clinical and Counselling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tingyu Li
- Department of Clinical and Counselling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Timothy D Becker
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Melissa A Stockton
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adebola Adedimeji
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | | | - Michael B Blank
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Lawrence H Yang
- School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah M Murray
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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6
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Eschliman EL, Poku OB, Winiker AK, Latkin CA, Tobin KE. Associations between social network characteristics and sexual minority disclosure concern among Black men who have sex with men living with and without HIV. J Soc Issues 2023; 79:390-409. [PMID: 37215260 PMCID: PMC10195063 DOI: 10.1111/josi.12566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
In addition to the pervasive anti-Black racism faced by Black people in the United States, Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) face sexual minority stigma and, among BMSM living with HIV, HIV-related stigma. These multilevel social forces shape social networks, which are important sources of resources, support, and behavior regulation. This study quantitatively examined the relationship between social network characteristics and sexual minority stigma (e.g., homophobia, biphobia), assessed by reported concerns around disclosing one's sexual minority status, among BMSM in Baltimore, Maryland in 2014 (N = 336). A majority of participants (63.7%) reported experiencing medium or high levels of sexual minority disclosure concern. In a multiple linear regression model, participants with higher sexual minority disclosure concern reported lower network density and having fewer good friends who are gay or bisexual men. Stratifying the same multiple linear regression model by HIV status supports the importance of an intersectional understanding of sexual minority and HIV-related stigma. These findings can help health-related programs address the complex relationships between sexual minority stigma, social networks, and HIV status within this multiply-marginalized and high-priority population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan L. Eschliman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
| | - Ohemaa B. Poku
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Division of Gender, Sexuality, and Health, Columbia University and New York Psychiatric Institute
| | - Abigail K. Winiker
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
| | - Carl A. Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
| | - Karin E. Tobin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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7
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Poku OB, Eschliman EL, Wang RY, Rampa S, Mehta H, Entaile P, Li T, Jackson VW, Ho-Foster A, Blank MB, Yang LH. Toward Meaningful Cultural Adaptation Across Implementation Stages: Lessons Learned From a Culturally Based HIV Stigma Intervention in Gaborone, Botswana. Glob Health Sci Pract 2022; 10:e2200232. [PMID: 36951288 PMCID: PMC9771462 DOI: 10.9745/ghsp-d-22-00232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
A culturally based stigma intervention for pregnant women living with HIV in Gaborone, Botswana highlights the importance of conceptualizing and formalizing cultural adaptation across all stages of implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ohemaa B Poku
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Division of Gender, Sexuality, and Health, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Evan L Eschliman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rayna Y Wang
- New York Coalition for Asian American Mental Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shathani Rampa
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, City University of New York, Queens, NY, USA
| | - Haitisha Mehta
- Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Tingyu Li
- Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Valerie W Jackson
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ari Ho-Foster
- Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana; Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael B Blank
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lawrence H Yang
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Yang LH, Eschliman EL, Mehta H, Misra S, Poku OB, Entaile P, Becker TD, Melese T, Brooks MJ, Eisenberg M, Stockton MA, Choe K, Tal D, Li T, Go VF, Link BG, Rampa S, Jackson VW, Manyeagae GD, Arscott-Mills T, Goodman M, Opondo PR, Ho-Foster AR, Blank MB. A pilot pragmatic trial of a "what matters most"-based intervention targeting intersectional stigma related to being pregnant and living with HIV in Botswana. AIDS Res Ther 2022; 19:26. [PMID: 35739534 PMCID: PMC9219368 DOI: 10.1186/s12981-022-00454-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
We conducted a pilot trial of an intervention targeting intersectional stigma related to being pregnant and living with HIV while promoting capabilities for achieving 'respected motherhood' ('what matters most') in Botswana. A pragmatic design allocated participants to the intervention (N = 44) group and the treatment-as-usual (N = 15) group. An intent-to-treat, difference-in-difference analysis found the intervention group had significant decreases in HIV stigma (d = - 1.20; 95% CI - 1.99, - 0.39) and depressive symptoms (d = - 1.96; 95% CI - 2.89, - 1.02) from baseline to 4-months postpartum. Some, albeit less pronounced, changes in intersectional stigma were observed, suggesting the importance of structural-level intervention components to reduce intersectional stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence H Yang
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, 708 Broadway, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Evan L Eschliman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Haitisha Mehta
- Department of Clinical and Counseling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Supriya Misra
- Department of Public Health, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ohemaa B Poku
- Division of Gender, Sexuality, and Health, HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Timothy D Becker
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tadele Melese
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Merrian J Brooks
- Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
- Department of Pediatrics, Craig Dalsimer Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Marlene Eisenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Melissa A Stockton
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons & New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
| | - Karen Choe
- Department of Clinical and Counseling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Danielle Tal
- Department of Clinical and Counseling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tingyu Li
- Department of Clinical and Counseling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vivian F Go
- Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Bruce G Link
- School of Public Policy, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
- Department of Sociology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Shathani Rampa
- Department of Psychology, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Valerie W Jackson
- Department of Anesthesia, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gorata D Manyeagae
- Department of Statistics, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Tonya Arscott-Mills
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
- Center for Global Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Melody Goodman
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Philip R Opondo
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Ari R Ho-Foster
- Center for Global Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Office of Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Michael B Blank
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Becker TD, Poku OB, Chen X, Wong J, Mandavia A, Huang M, Chen Y, Huang D, Ngo H, Yang LH. The impact of China-to-US immigration on structural and cultural determinants of HIV-related stigma: implications for HIV care of Chinese immigrants. Ethn Health 2022; 27:509-528. [PMID: 32668975 PMCID: PMC7854980 DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2020.1791316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Objectives: Asian Americans have poor HIV-related outcomes, yet culturally salient barriers to care remain unclear, limiting development of targeted interventions for this group. We applied the 'what matters most' theory of stigma to identify structural and cultural factors that shape the nature of stigma before and after immigration from China to the US.Design: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 immigrants to New York from China, recruited from an HIV clinic and community centers. Deductive followed by focal inductive qualitative analyses examined how Chinese cultural values (lian, guanxi, renqing) and structural factors influenced stigma before and after immigration.Results: In China, HIV stigma was felt through the loss of lian (moral status) and limited guanxi (social network) opportunities. A social structure characterized by limited HIV knowledge, discriminatory treatment from healthcare systems, and human rights violations impinged on the ability of people living with HIV to fulfill culturally valued goals. Upon moving to the US, positions of structural vulnerability shifted to enable maintenance of lian and formation of new guanxi, thus ameliorating aspects of stigma.Conclusions: HIV prevention and stigma reduction interventions among Chinese immigrants may be most effective by both addressing structural constraints and facilitating achievement of cultural values through clinical, peer, and group interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy D Becker
- Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ohemaa B Poku
- Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xinlin Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey Wong
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Amar Mandavia
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Minda Huang
- Department of Psychology, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Yuqi Chen
- Department of Educational and Psychological Studies, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Debbie Huang
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hong Ngo
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lawrence H Yang
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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10
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Poku OB, Becker TD, Rampa S, Misra S, Ho-Foster AR, Entaile P, Tay C, Choe K, Arscott-Mills T, Blank MB, Opondo PR, Yang LH. Theory-Driven, Multi-Stage Process to Develop a Culturally-Informed Anti-Stigma Intervention for Pregnant Women Living with HIV in Botswana. Int J MCH AIDS 2022; 11:e569. [PMID: 36320928 PMCID: PMC9617017 DOI: 10.21106/ijma.569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Despite a well-established universal HIV diagnosis and treatment program, Botswana continues to face a high HIV prevalence, in large part due to persistent stigma, which particularly affects pregnant women and interferes with healthcare engagement. Tackling stigma as a fundamental cause of HIV disparities is an important but understudied aspect of current HIV interventions. Our multinational and multicultural team used a theory-driven, multi-stage iterative process to develop measures and interventions to first identify and then target the most culturally-salient aspects of stigma for mothers living with HIV in Botswana. This methodology report examines the stage-by-stage application of the "What Matters Most" (WMM) theory and lessons learned, sharing a replicable template for developing culturally-shaped anti-stigma interventions. METHODS First, we conducted initial qualitative work based on the WMM theory to identify key structural and cultural factors shaping stigma for women living with HIV in Botswana. Second, we developed a psychometrically validated scale measuring how "what matters most" contributes to and protects against stigma for this population. Third, we designed an anti-stigma intervention, "Mothers Moving towards Empowerment" (MME), centered on the local values identified using WMM theory that underly empowerment and motherhood by adapting a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-informed, group-based, and peer-co-led anti-stigma intervention specifically for pregnant women living with HIV. Fourth, we conducted a pilot study of MME in which participants were allocated to two trial arms: intervention or treatment-as-usual control. RESULTS Our qualitative research identified that bearing and caring for children are capabilities essential to the concept of respected womanhood, which can be threatened by a real or perceived HIV diagnosis. These values informed the development and validation of a scale to measure these culturally-salient aspects of stigma for women living with HIV in Botswana. These findings further informed our intervention adaptation and pilot evaluation, in which the intervention group showed significant decreases in HIV stigma and depressive symptoms compared to the control group. Participants reported overcoming reluctance to disclose their HIV status to family, leading to improved social support. CONCLUSION AND GLOBAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS Previous studies have not utilized culturally-based approaches to assess, resist, and intervene with HIV-related stigma. By applying WMM in each stage, we identified cultural and gendered differences that enabled participants to resist HIV stigma. Focusing on these capabilities that enable full personhood, we developed an effective culturally-tailored anti-stigma intervention for pregnant women living with HIV in Botswana. This theory-driven, multi-stage approach can be replicated to achieve stigma reduction for other outcomes, populations, and contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ohemaa B Poku
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Division of Gender, Sexuality, and Health Columbia University & the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Timothy D Becker
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Supriya Misra
- Department of Public Health, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Ari R Ho-Foster
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana; Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Charisse Tay
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Karen Choe
- New York University, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Tonya Arscott-Mills
- Department of Pediatrics, Levine Children's Hospital, Charlotte, NC, United States
| | | | | | - Lawrence H Yang
- New York University, New York, NY, United States, Columbia University Mailman, School of Public Health, New York, NY, United States
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Yang LH, Poku OB, Misra S, Mehta HT, Rampa S, Eisenberg MM, Yang LS, Dai Cao TX, Blank LI, Becker TD, Link BG, Entaile P, Opondo PR, Arscott-Mills T, Ho-Foster AR, Blank MB. Stigma, Structural Vulnerability, and "What Matters Most" Among Women Living With HIV in Botswana, 2017. Am J Public Health 2021; 111:1309-1317. [PMID: 34110916 PMCID: PMC8493151 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2021.306274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Objectives. To explore whether beneficial health care policies, when implemented in the context of gender inequality, yield unintended structural consequences that stigmatize and ostracize women with HIV from "what matters most" in local culture. Methods. We conducted 46 in-depth interviews and 5 focus groups (38 individuals) with men and women living with and without HIV in Gaborone, Botswana, in 2017. Results. Cultural imperatives to bear children bring pregnant women into contact with free antenatal services including routine HIV testing, where their HIV status is discovered before their male partners'. National HIV policies have therefore unintentionally reinforced disadvantage among women with HIV, whereby men delay or avoid testing by using their partner's status as a proxy for their own, thus facilitating blame toward women diagnosed with HIV. Gossip then defines these women as "promiscuous" and as violating the essence of womanhood. We identified cultural and structural ways to resist stigma for these women. Conclusions. Necessary HIV testing during antenatal care has inadvertently perpetuated a structural vulnerability that propagates stigma toward women. Individual- and structural-level interventions can address stigma unintentionally reinforced by health care policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence H. Yang
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Ohemaa B. Poku
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Supriya Misra
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Haitisha T. Mehta
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Shathani Rampa
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Marlene M. Eisenberg
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Lyla S. Yang
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Thi Xuan Dai Cao
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Lilo I. Blank
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Timothy D. Becker
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Bruce G. Link
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Patlo Entaile
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Philip R. Opondo
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Tonya Arscott-Mills
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Ari R. Ho-Foster
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
| | - Michael B. Blank
- Lawrence H. Yang is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Ohemaa B. Poku is with the Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Supriya Misra is with San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Haitisha T. Mehta is with the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. Shathani Rampa is with the
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Misra S, Mehta HT, Eschliman EL, Rampa S, Poku OB, Wang WQ, Ho-Foster AR, Mosepele M, Becker TD, Entaile P, Arscott-Mills T, Opondo PR, Blank MB, Yang LH. Identifying "What Matters Most" to Men in Botswana to Promote Resistance to HIV-Related Stigma. Qual Health Res 2021; 31:1680-1696. [PMID: 33764233 PMCID: PMC9287436 DOI: 10.1177/10497323211001361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite a comprehensive national program of free HIV services, men living with HIV in Botswana participate at lower rates and have worse outcomes than women. Directed content analysis of five focus groups (n = 38) and 50 in-depth interviews with men and women with known and unknown HIV status in Gaborone, Botswana in 2017 used the "what matters most" (WMM) and "structural vulnerability" frameworks to examine how the most valued cultural aspects of manhood interact with HIV-related stigma. WMM for manhood in Botswana included fulfilling male responsibilities by being a capable provider and maintaining social status. Being identified with HIV threatened WMM, which fear of employment discrimination could further exacerbate. Our findings indicate how cultural and structural forces interact to worsen or mitigate HIV-related stigma for urban men in Botswana. These threats to manhood deter HIV testing and treatment, but interventions could capitalize on cultural capabilities for manhood to promote stigma resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supriya Misra
- Department of Public Health, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, United States
| | - Haitisha T. Mehta
- Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, United States
| | - Evan L. Eschliman
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th St. NY, NY 10032, United States
| | - Shathani Rampa
- Department of Psychology, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 00705, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Ohemaa B. Poku
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Wei-Qian Wang
- Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, United States
| | - Ari R. Ho-Foster
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana; Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Building 421, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Mosepele Mosepele
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Timothy D. Becker
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Patlo Entaile
- Botswana-UPenn Partnership, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Tonya Arscott-Mills
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Building 421, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Phillip R. Opondo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Michael B. Blank
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Building 421, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Lawrence H. Yang
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, NYU School of Global Public Health, 715 Broadway 12 Floor, New York, NY 10003, United States; Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th St. NY, NY 10032, United States
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13
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Yang LH, Ho-Foster AR, Becker TD, Misra S, Rampa S, Poku OB, Entaile P, Goodman M, Blank MB. Psychometric Validation of a Scale to Assess Culturally-Salient Aspects of HIV Stigma Among Women Living with HIV in Botswana: Engaging "What Matters Most" to Resist Stigma. AIDS Behav 2021; 25:459-474. [PMID: 32839870 PMCID: PMC8530255 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-020-03012-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Perceived stigma deters engagement in HIV care and is powerfully shaped by culture. Yet few stigma measures consider how cultural capabilities that signify "full personhood" could be engaged to resist stigma. By applying a theory conceptualizing how culturally-salient mechanisms can worsen or mitigate HIV stigma in relation to "what matters most" (WMM), we developed the WMM Cultural Stigma Scale for Women Living with HIV in Botswana (WMM-WLHIV-BW) and psychometrically evaluated it among 201 respondents with known and unknown HIV status. The two subscales, Cultural Factors Shape Stigma (CFSS) and Cultural Capabilities Protect against Stigma (CCPS) were reliable (both [Formula: see text]). Among WLHIV, the CFSS Subscale showed initial construct validity with depressive symptoms (r = .39, p = .005), similar to an established HIV stigma scale, whereas the CCPS Subscale showed initial construct validity with self-esteem (r = .32, p = .026) and social support number (r = .29, p = .047), suggesting that achieving local cultural capabilities mitigates stigma and is linked with positive psychosocial outcomes. This culturally-derived scale could help WLHIV in Botswana experience improved stigma-related outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence H Yang
- School of Global Public Health, New York University, 715 Broadway, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Ari R Ho-Foster
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Timothy D Becker
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Supriya Misra
- School of Global Public Health, New York University, 715 Broadway, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Shathani Rampa
- Department of Psychology, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Ohemaa B Poku
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Melody Goodman
- School of Global Public Health, New York University, 715 Broadway, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Michael B Blank
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Poku OB, Ho-Foster AR, Entaile P, Misra S, Mehta H, Rampa S, Goodman M, Arscott-Mills T, Eschliman E, Jackson V, Melese T, Becker TD, Eisenberg M, Link B, Go V, Opondo PR, Blank MB, Yang LH. 'Mothers moving towards empowerment' intervention to reduce stigma and improve treatment adherence in pregnant women living with HIV in Botswana: study protocol for a pragmatic clinical trial. Trials 2020; 21:832. [PMID: 33028387 PMCID: PMC7542742 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-020-04676-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With high rates of HIV and multiple vulnerable subgroups across diverse settings, there is a need for culturally based, HIV stigma reduction interventions. Pregnant women who are living with HIV are especially in need of services to protect not only their own but also their children's lives. Uptake of HIV services worldwide is hindered by stigma towards persons living with HIV/AIDS. While cultural context plays a key role in shaping HIV stigma, these insights have not yet been fully integrated into stigma reduction strategies. By utilizing the "What Matters Most" stigma framework, we propose that an intervention to counter culturally salient aspects of HIV stigma will improve treatment adherence and other relevant outcomes. A pragmatic clinical trial in Botswana will evaluate the "Mothers Moving towards Empowerment" (MME) intervention, which seeks to address HIV stigma in Botswana and to specifically engage pregnant mothers so as to promote antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence in the postpartum period. METHODS This study will test MME against treatment as usual (TAU) among pregnant mothers diagnosed with HIV and their infants. Outcomes will be assessed during pregnancy and 16 weeks postpartum. Women who meet eligibility criteria are assigned to MME or TAU. Women assigned to MME are grouped with others with similar estimated delivery dates, completing up to eight intervention group sessions scheduled before week 36 of their pregnancies. Primary outcomes among mothers include (i) reducing self-stigma, which is hypothesized to mediate improvements in (ii) psychological outcomes (quality of life, depression and social functioning), and (iii) adherence to antenatal care and ART. We will also examine a set of follow-up infant birth outcomes (APGAR score, preterm delivery, mortality (at < 16 weeks), birth weight, vaccination record, and HIV status). DISCUSSION Our trial will evaluate MME, a culturally based HIV stigma reduction intervention using the "What Matters Most" framework, to reduce stigma and improve treatment adherence among pregnant women and their infants. This study will help inform further refinement of MME and preparation for a future large-scale, multisite, randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Botswana. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03698981 . Registered on October 8, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ohemaa B Poku
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States.
| | - Ari R Ho-Foster
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Tonya Arscott-Mills
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | | | - Valerie Jackson
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | | | - Timothy D Becker
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Bruce Link
- University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Vivian Go
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hil, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Lawrence H Yang
- New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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Becker TD, Ho-Foster AR, Poku OB, Marobela S, Mehta H, Cao DTX, Yang LS, Blank LI, Dipatane VI, Moeng LR, Molebatsi K, Eisenberg MM, Barg FK, Blank MB, Opondo PR, Yang LH. "It's When the Trees Blossom": Explanatory Beliefs, Stigma, and Mental Illness in the Context of HIV in Botswana. Qual Health Res 2019; 29:1566-1580. [PMID: 30739566 PMCID: PMC7577021 DOI: 10.1177/1049732319827523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Mental illness is a common comorbidity of HIV and complicates treatment. In Botswana, stigma impedes treatment of mental illness. We examined explanatory beliefs about mental illness, stigma, and interactions between HIV and mental illness among 42 adults, from HIV clinic and community settings, via thematic analysis of interviews. Respondents endorse witchcraft as a predominant causal belief, in addition to drug abuse and effects of HIV. Respondents describe mental illness as occurring "when the trees blossom," underscoring a conceptualization of it as seasonal, chronic, and often incurable and as worse than HIV. Consequently, people experiencing mental illness (PEMI) are stereotyped as dangerous, untrustworthy, and cognitively impaired and discriminated against in the workplace, relationships, and sexually, increasing vulnerability to HIV. Clinical services that address local beliefs and unique vulnerabilities of PEMI to HIV, integration with peer support and traditional healers, and rehabilitation may best address the syndemic by facilitating culturally consistent recovery-oriented care.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ari R Ho-Foster
- 1 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- 2 Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
| | | | | | | | | | - Lyla S Yang
- 5 Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Lilo I Blank
- 6 University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Vincent Ikageng Dipatane
- 7 Princess Marina Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana
- 8 Botswana Ministry of Health and Wellness, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Letumile Rogers Moeng
- 7 Princess Marina Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana
- 8 Botswana Ministry of Health and Wellness, Gaborone, Botswana
| | | | | | - Frances K Barg
- 1 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael B Blank
- 1 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Philip Renison Opondo
- 1 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- 9 University of Botswana School of Medicine, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Lawrence H Yang
- 5 Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
- 10 New York University, New York City, New York, USA
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Pike KM, Min SH, Poku OB, Reed GM, Saxena S. A renewed call for international representation in editorial boards of international psychiatry journals. World Psychiatry 2017; 16:106-107. [PMID: 28127918 PMCID: PMC5269686 DOI: 10.1002/wps.20389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Pike
- Columbia University Global Mental Health Program, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sang-Hee Min
- Columbia University Global Mental Health Program, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ohemaa B Poku
- Columbia University Global Mental Health Program, New York, NY, USA
| | - Geoffrey M Reed
- Columbia University Global Mental Health Program, New York, NY, USA
- World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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