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AIDS and Behavior
Published in: AIDS and Behavior 1/2017

01-01-2017 | Substantive Review

Understanding HIV-Related Stigma Among Women in the Southern United States: A Literature Review

Authors: Caroline K. Darlington, Sadie P. Hutson

Published in: AIDS and Behavior | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Societal stigmatization of HIV/AIDS due to assumptions about transmission and associated behaviors plays a substantial role in the psychosocial well-being of people living with this chronic illness, particularly for women in traditionally conservative geographic regions. Known for social conservatism, the Southern United States (US) holds the highest incidence rate of HIV infection in the US. A systematic search of four databases was used to identify 27 relevant scientific articles pertaining to HIV-related stigma among women living with HIV/AIDS in the Southern US. These studies revealed a rudimentary understanding of stigma sources, effects, and stigma-reduction interventions in this population. Due to the cultural specificity of stigma, further differentiation of stigma in discrete sectors of the South as well as a dialogue about the moral implications of stigma is necessary to lay the groundwork for patient-centered interventions to mitigate the destructive effects of stigma experienced by women in this region.
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Metadata
Title
Understanding HIV-Related Stigma Among Women in the Southern United States: A Literature Review
Authors
Caroline K. Darlington
Sadie P. Hutson
Publication date
01-01-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
AIDS and Behavior / Issue 1/2017
Print ISSN: 1090-7165
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3254
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1504-9

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