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HIV-related stigma and health-related quality of life among children living with HIV in Sweden

Rydström, L.-L., Wiklander, M., Navér, L. , Ygge, B.-M. & Eriksson, L. E. (2016). HIV-related stigma and health-related quality of life among children living with HIV in Sweden. AIDS Care, 28(5), pp. 665-671. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2015.1120267

Abstract

The relationship between HIV-related stigma and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among children living with HIV infection is unknown. The objectives of this study were to describe HIV-related stigma and HRQoL among children with perinatal HIV living in Sweden, and to investigate the relationship between these two factors in the same infection group. In a cross-sectional nationwide survey, HIV-related stigma was measured with the 8-item HIV Stigma Scale for Children. HRQoL was measured with the 37-item DISABKIDS Chronic Generic Module. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the relationship between HIV-related stigma and HRQoL. Fifty-eight children participated, age 9-18 years (mean = 13.9). The HIV stigma general scale showed a mean score of 17.6 (SD = 5.0; possible range 8-32). DISABKIDS Chronic Generic Module general scale showed a mean score of 80.7 (SD = 14.1; possible range 0-100). HIV-related stigma was negatively associated with HRQoL (standardized β = -0.790, p = .017). The results indicate that children's concerns related to disclosure of their HIV infection seem to be common (i.e. 75% agreed) which, together with the negative association between ratings of HIV-relatively stigma and HRQoL, might indicate that disclosure concerns would be a relevant target for interventions to decrease HIV-related stigma and increase HRQoL.

Publication Type: Article
Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in AIDS Care on 18 Dec 2015, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/10.1080/09540121.2015.1120267
Publisher Keywords: Children, HIV, stigma, health-related quality of life
Subjects: R Medicine > RC Internal medicine
Departments: School of Health & Psychological Sciences
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