Collectivism culture, HIV stigma and social network support in Anhui, China: a path analytic model

HIV stigma is rooted in culture and, therefore, it is essential to investigate it within the context of culture. The objective of this study was to examine the interrelationships among individualism-collectivism, HIV stigma, and social network support. A social network study was conducted among 118 people living with HIVAIDS in China, who were infected by commercial plasma donation, a nonstigmatized behavior. The Individualism-Collectivism Interpersonal Assessment Inventory (ICIAI) was used to measure cultural norms and values in the context of three social groups, family members, friends, and neighbors. Path analyses revealed (1) a higher level of family ICIAI was significantly associated with a higher level of HIV self-stigma (β=0.32); (2) a higher level of friend ICIAI was associated with a lower level of self-stigma (β=-035); (3) neighbor ICIAI was associated with public stigma (β=-0.61); (4) self-stigman was associated with social support from neighbors (β=-0.27); and (5) public stigma was associated with social support from neighbors (β=-0.24). This study documents that HIV stigma may mediate the relationship between collectivist culture and social network support, providing an empirical basis for interventions to include aspects of culture into HIV intervention strategies.