Positive, Open, Proud: an adapted disclosure-based intervention to reduce HIV stigma

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• HIV stigma is prevalent among people living with HIV (PLWH), negatively impacting their physical and mental health.
• Stigma influences HIV disclosure decisions, with significant individual and public health consequences.
• Women living with HIV face compounded stigma due to gender-based discrimination and violence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt the evidence-based Honest, Open, Proud (HOP) stigma-reduction intervention for people with mental illness into a new intervention for PLWH.
• To develop Positive, Open, Proud, a disclosure-based stigma-reduction intervention tailored for PLWH.
• To address the unique needs of women living with HIV within this adapted intervention.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the ADAPT-ITT model for intervention adaptation.
• Leveraging the established efficacy of the HOP intervention for mental illness.
• Focusing on disclosure as a key strategy for stigma reduction.

Main Results:

• The proposed intervention, Positive, Open, Proud, is designed based on the successful HOP model.
• The adaptation process considers the specific challenges faced by PLWH, including women.
• The intervention aims to reduce HIV stigma through disclosure.

Conclusions:

• Adapting evidence-based interventions like HOP using models such as ADAPT-ITT is a viable strategy for addressing HIV stigma.
• Positive, Open, Proud has the potential to effectively reduce stigma among PLWH, with a specific focus on empowering women.
• Disclosure-based interventions are crucial for improving health outcomes and mitigating the adverse effects of stigma in the PLWH community.