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ARTICLES

HIV/AIDS Stigma and Religiosity Among African American Women

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Pages 388-401 | Published online: 21 Jun 2010
 

Abstract

African American women are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS compared with other ethnicities, accounting for two-thirds (67%) of all women diagnosed with HIV. Despite their increased risk of HIV infection, few studies have been conducted to understand culture-specific factors leading to their vulnerability. Given the central role of religious organizations in African American communities, this study explored whether and to what extent religiosity plays a role in stigma toward HIV/AIDS. Results of hierarchical regression showed that after controlling for key factors, religiosity was a significant factor predicting the level of religious stigma. Those with high religiosity displayed significantly higher stigma, associating HIV/AIDS with a curse or punishment from God. Verbatim responses to an open-ended question also revealed seemingly ingrained prejudice against HIV/AIDS from a religious perspective. The findings point to the important role of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in addressing HIV/AIDS issues within African American communities.

Notes

The six items were measured on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).

β values are standardized coefficients.

*p < .05, **p < .01.

β values are standardized coefficients.

*p < .05, **p < .01.

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