Family and community level stigma and discrimination among women living with HIV/AIDS in a high HIV prevalence district of India

To examine HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in a high-HIV-prevalence district in India, we used data from a cross-sectional survey conducted recently among randomly selected married HIV-positive women, 15–29 years of age. Overall, 88% of respondents experienced stigma and discrimination from family and community. Factors associated with stigma and discrimination differed in the family and community contexts. Higher age gap between spouses and poor household status were significant in explaining the stigma and discrimination from husbands. Older age of the husband and lower household economic status significantly increased the stigma and discrimination from husbands’ family as well as from friends and neighbors. Different interventions should be developed for family and community contexts focusing on counseling for husbands, couples, family, and educational programs at the community level to reduce stigma and discrimination.