The impact of HIV-related stigma on older and younger adults living with HIV disease: does age matter?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the independent influence of age on levels of HIV-related stigma experienced by adults living with HIV/AIDS. To accomplish this, cross-sectional data from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study were used to determine whether older age is associated with overall stigma among HIV-positive adults living in Ontario, Canada (n = 960). The relationship was also tested for enacted, anticipated, and internalized stigma. Covariates included sociodemographic (e.g., gender, sexual orientation, race) and psychosocial variables (e.g., depression). Modifying effects of covariates were also investigated. Those 55 and older have significantly lower overall and internalized stigma than adults under age 40, even when accounting for gender, sexual orientation, income, time since diagnosis, depression, maladaptive coping, and social support. Age does not predict enacted or Anticipated Stigma when accounting for the demographic and psychosocial variables. A significant interaction between depression and age suggests that stigma declines with age among those who are depressed but increases to age 50 and then decreases in older age groups among those who are not depressed. Age matters when it comes to understanding stigma among adults living with HIV/AIDS; however, the relationship between age and stigma is complex, varying according to stigma type and depression level.

Psychological reactance and HIV-related stigma among women living with HIV

“…Age and racial/ethnic differences have been found in psychological reactance (Woller, Buboltz, & Loveland, 2007) and HIV-related stigma (Emlet et al, 2015; Wohl et al, 2013). …”

Disclosure and Self-Efficacy Among HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Comparison Between Older and Younger Adults

“…The current study examined disclosure behavior, attitude, and intention and self-efficacy for condom use, disclosure, and negotiation for safer sex practices among HIV-positive MSM 50 years old and older compared to middle-aged (35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49) and younger (18-34) HIV-positive MSM. The findings showed that older MSM scored lower on disclosure behavior and self-efficacy for negotiation of safer sex practices compared to MSM 18-34.…”

“…Age was operationalized into three categories, 18-34, 35-49, and 50 and older, to determine if older MSM living with HIV (50 and older) would score lower or higher or the same on measures for disclosure behavior, attitudes, and intentions, and self-efficacy for condom use, disclosure and negotiation for safer sex practices compared to middle-aged (35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49) and younger (18-34) MSM living with HIV. Though the age of 50 may not indicate conditions affiliated with being older, 18 the age cut-off of ''50 and older'' is used to refer to ''older adults'' in the current study, as this age range has been used by the CDC 7 and in numerous studies in the US examining behavioral outcomes among adults living with HIV.…”

“…Number of sexual partners was also associated with disclosure of HIV serostatus. 47 Differences in time since diagnosis 48 and number of sexual partners 49 have been found by age group. Therefore, the confounders considered in the current study were time since diagnosis and number of sexual partners in the past 30 days.…”

Bias in Self-Reported Condom Use: Association Between Over-Reported Condom Use and Syphilis in a Three-Site Study in China

“…In HIV/AIDS research, older people living with HIV have been defined as adults who are 50 years and older [26, 27]. Epidemiologic data from both developed and developing countries suggest that STIs, including HIV, have spread rapidly among older adults over 50 years old [26].…”