Understanding Vicarious Stigma Among Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh: Implications for Social Work

Background/Objective

           

Globally, HIV/AIDS-related stigma makes women living with HIV/AIDS (WLWHA) vulnerable to severe mental health problems (UNAIDS, 2017). It is detrimental to their quality of life, self-image, and social interactions. Bangladesh is a patriarchal society where gendered socialization produces gender inequality or inequitable gender norms between men and women. Under patriarchal norms and men-controlled economy, women, especially those in the lower strata, encounter endless obstructions of their lives. Due to lack of literature, we hardly aware how gender status affects women’s HIV status including stigma. This paper will present conceptual and empirical evidence of WLWHA as vulnerable population for vicarious stigma and its deleterious impact.

Methods 

 

This cross-sectional research study was conducted among WLWHA (N=200) in Bangladesh. Participants were recruited from the pre-selected two organizations: Ashar Alo Society (AAS) and Ashar Prodeep (AP). These organizations provide direct services to the people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Bangladesh. WLWHA who expressed their interests in the study were screened against the inclusion criteria (eighteen and above years old, could speak and understand Bengali, connected with above mentioned organizations and were willingly to sign the consent form confronting to the study norms, rules and other conditions). A written consent was obtained from each participant. Each participant was interviewed in an empty room in the organization, which was prepared in advance to ensure privacy. The interview lasted approximately 60-80 minutes.

Results

The study found that the majority participants were housewives (91. 5%), Muslims (94%), lived in rural areas (76%), had 10th grade of education (60%) and zero monthly income (60.8%). Findings also revealed an overwhelming majority of participant’s experienced high prevalence of vicarious stigma. Common forms of vicarious stigma were to hear stories about families avoided relatives; people being looked differently, people being mistreated by hospital workers and people being forced by family members to leave their home when they were sick because of positive HIV status. The study also found statistically significant association between participants’ low-income status and vicarious stigma in Bangladesh.

 

Implications

  

The presentation is divided into three sections. First, the problem will be framed within the theory of gender and power perspective. Second, audience will be oriented and engaged in an exploration of the social context of WLWHA in contemporary society, and third, the latest findings of the study of HIV/AIDS related vicarious stigma among WLWHA and the implication for social work education and practice will be explored through gender-responsive policies, programs and services.