A multi-country study of the associations between HIV vulnerability status, perception of COVID-19 related stigma and post-traumatic stress symptoms during the first wave of the pandemic.

Bibliographic Details
Title: A multi-country study of the associations between HIV vulnerability status, perception of COVID-19 related stigma and post-traumatic stress symptoms during the first wave of the pandemic.
Authors: Folayan, Morenike Oluwatoyin, Zuñiga, Roberto Ariel Abeldaño, Virtanen, Jorma I., Ellakany, Passent, Al-Tammemi, Ala'a B., Quadri, Mir Faeq Ali, Jafer, Mohammed, Ara, Eshrat, Ayanore, Martin Amogre, Gaffar, Balgis, Aly, Nourhan M., Idigbe, Ifeoma, Lusher, Joanne, Ezechi, Oliver C., Nguyen, Annie L, Tantawi, Maha El
Source: BMC Public Health; 5/30/2023, Vol. 23 Issue 1, p1-10, 10p, 2 Charts
Subject Terms: POST-traumatic stress, COVID-19 pandemic, HIV status, COVID-19, SOCIAL stigma
Abstract: Background: This study investigated the associations between COVID-19 related stigma and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS); and the associations between PTSS and COVID-19 related stigma, HIV status, COVID-19 status and key HIV population status. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data of 12,355 study participants generated through an online survey that recruited adults from 152 countries between July and December 2020. The dependent variables were COVID-19-related stigma and PTSS. The independent variables were HIV status (positive/negative), transaction sex (yes/no), use of psychoactive drugs (yes/no), and vulnerability status (transaction sex workers, people who use psychoactive drugs, living with HIV, and COVID-19 status). The confounding variables were age, sex at birth (male/female), level of education, sexual minority individuals (yes/no) and country income level. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine associations between the dependent and independent variables after adjusting for confounders. Results: There were 835 (6.8%) participants who experienced COVID-19 related stigma during the pandemic and 3,824 (31.0%) participants reported PTSS. Respondents who were living with HIV (AOR: 1.979; 95%CI: 1.522–2.573), tested positive for COVID-19 (AOR: 3.369; 95%CI: 2.692–4.217), engaged in transactional sex (AOR: 1.428; 95%CI: 1.060–1.922) and used psychoactive drugs (AOR: 1.364; 95%CI: 1.053–1.767) had significantly higher odds of experiencing COVID-19 related stigma. Individuals with vulnerability status (AOR:4.610; 95%CI: 1.590-13.368) and who experienced COVID-19 related stigma (AOR: 2.218; 95%CI: 1.920–2.561) had significantly higher odds of PTSS. Conclusion: Individuals with vulnerability status may be at increased risk for COVID-19 related stigma. Key and vulnerable populations who were living with HIV and who experienced stigma may be at a higher risk of experiencing PTSS. Populations at risk for PTSS should be routinely screened and provided adequate support when they contract COVID-19 to reduce the risk for poor mental health during COVID-19 outbreaks and during future health crisis with similar magnitude as the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Complementary Index
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ISSN:14712458
DOI:10.1186/s12889-023-15933-z
Published in:BMC Public Health
Language:English