Correlates of HIV-Related Self-stigma Among Female Sex Workers in Malaysia
Background: Not much is known about correlates of HIV-related self-stigma among female sex workers. Using the theory of planned behavior in the Malaysian context, this study investigated the relationships of HIV knowledge, attitudes towards HIV, attitudes towards people living with HIV, perceived so...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Gonabad University of Medical Sciences
2020-06-01
|
Series: | Journal of Research & Health |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://jrh.gmu.ac.ir/article-1-1809-en.html |
_version_ | 1818459278366736384 |
---|---|
author | Davood Mehrabi Ezhar Tamam Somayeh Mortazavi Ganji Ketab |
author_facet | Davood Mehrabi Ezhar Tamam Somayeh Mortazavi Ganji Ketab |
author_sort | Davood Mehrabi |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Background: Not much is known about correlates of HIV-related self-stigma among female sex workers. Using the theory of planned behavior in the Malaysian context, this study investigated the relationships of HIV knowledge, attitudes towards HIV, attitudes towards people living with HIV, perceived social support, self-esteem, and age with HIV-related self-stigma, also how much of the variance in HIV-related self-stigma is explained by the variables.
Methods: Self-administered close-ended questionnaires were administered to 134 female sex workers, as a subgroup of HIV-at-risk individuals, selected using a combination of snowball and respondent-driven sampling methods.
Results: Self-administered close-ended questionnaires were administered to 134 female sex workers, as a subgroup of HIV-at-risk individuals, selected using a combination of snowball and respondent-driven sampling methods. Results: A majority of the respondents substantially stigmatized themselves, despite good HIV knowledge, high self-esteem, and favorable attitudes towards both HIV and people living with HIV. Attitudes towards HIV was more favorable than attitudes towards people living with HIV. The respondents received higher social supports from a special person, followed by friends, and family members. Age, attitudes towards HIV, and attitudes towards people living with HIV were significantly and negatively correlated with HIV-related self-stigma. Age, attitudes towards HIV, and attitudes towards people living with HIV collectively explained 18% of the variance in HIV-related self-stigma.
Conclusion: HIV knowledge, perceived social support and self-esteem did not enter the final model to explain variance in HIV-related self-stigma. This study advances our understanding by clarifying the relative contribution of age, attitudes towards HIV, and people living with HIV in the variance of HIV-related self-stigma among female sex workers at risk of HIV. |
first_indexed | 2024-12-14T23:11:49Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-b5d58bec26014ac292418098037fe129 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2423-5717 2423-5717 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-12-14T23:11:49Z |
publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
publisher | Gonabad University of Medical Sciences |
record_format | Article |
series | Journal of Research & Health |
spelling | doaj.art-b5d58bec26014ac292418098037fe1292022-12-21T22:44:11ZengGonabad University of Medical SciencesJournal of Research & Health2423-57172423-57172020-06-01104249256Correlates of HIV-Related Self-stigma Among Female Sex Workers in MalaysiaDavood Mehrabi0Ezhar Tamam1Somayeh Mortazavi Ganji Ketab2 Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Communication & Culture, Faculty of Cultural Studies and Communication, Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran, Iran. Department of Communication, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Department of Communication, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Background: Not much is known about correlates of HIV-related self-stigma among female sex workers. Using the theory of planned behavior in the Malaysian context, this study investigated the relationships of HIV knowledge, attitudes towards HIV, attitudes towards people living with HIV, perceived social support, self-esteem, and age with HIV-related self-stigma, also how much of the variance in HIV-related self-stigma is explained by the variables. Methods: Self-administered close-ended questionnaires were administered to 134 female sex workers, as a subgroup of HIV-at-risk individuals, selected using a combination of snowball and respondent-driven sampling methods. Results: Self-administered close-ended questionnaires were administered to 134 female sex workers, as a subgroup of HIV-at-risk individuals, selected using a combination of snowball and respondent-driven sampling methods. Results: A majority of the respondents substantially stigmatized themselves, despite good HIV knowledge, high self-esteem, and favorable attitudes towards both HIV and people living with HIV. Attitudes towards HIV was more favorable than attitudes towards people living with HIV. The respondents received higher social supports from a special person, followed by friends, and family members. Age, attitudes towards HIV, and attitudes towards people living with HIV were significantly and negatively correlated with HIV-related self-stigma. Age, attitudes towards HIV, and attitudes towards people living with HIV collectively explained 18% of the variance in HIV-related self-stigma. Conclusion: HIV knowledge, perceived social support and self-esteem did not enter the final model to explain variance in HIV-related self-stigma. This study advances our understanding by clarifying the relative contribution of age, attitudes towards HIV, and people living with HIV in the variance of HIV-related self-stigma among female sex workers at risk of HIV.http://jrh.gmu.ac.ir/article-1-1809-en.htmlhivself-stigmafemalesex workersattitudessocial support |
spellingShingle | Davood Mehrabi Ezhar Tamam Somayeh Mortazavi Ganji Ketab Correlates of HIV-Related Self-stigma Among Female Sex Workers in Malaysia Journal of Research & Health hiv self-stigma female sex workers attitudes social support |
title | Correlates of HIV-Related Self-stigma Among Female Sex Workers in Malaysia |
title_full | Correlates of HIV-Related Self-stigma Among Female Sex Workers in Malaysia |
title_fullStr | Correlates of HIV-Related Self-stigma Among Female Sex Workers in Malaysia |
title_full_unstemmed | Correlates of HIV-Related Self-stigma Among Female Sex Workers in Malaysia |
title_short | Correlates of HIV-Related Self-stigma Among Female Sex Workers in Malaysia |
title_sort | correlates of hiv related self stigma among female sex workers in malaysia |
topic | hiv self-stigma female sex workers attitudes social support |
url | http://jrh.gmu.ac.ir/article-1-1809-en.html |
work_keys_str_mv | AT davoodmehrabi correlatesofhivrelatedselfstigmaamongfemalesexworkersinmalaysia AT ezhartamam correlatesofhivrelatedselfstigmaamongfemalesexworkersinmalaysia AT somayehmortazaviganjiketab correlatesofhivrelatedselfstigmaamongfemalesexworkersinmalaysia |