Background: HIV/AIDS is among the most devastating diseases, having multiple effects on the health and well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). There is a paucity of studies that examined the gender differences in perceived stigma among PLWHA and the different coping strategies that they use in Ethiopia.
Objective: To assess the gender differences in perceived stigma and coping strategies among PLWHA.
Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at Jugal Hospital, Harar, eastern Ethiopia from May 01 to July 30, 2018. A total of 412 (206 females and 206 males) PLWHA were included. Face-to-face interviewer-administered data were collected. Perceived HIV stigma was assessed using the Berger HIV stigma scale. Similarly, the coping strategies were assessed using the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (Brief COPE) scale. The data were analyzed using STATA version 13.
Results: The mean Berger stigma scale score was 65.3± 11.3. The overall perceived stigma mean score was not statistically different between males and females (64.8± 10.8 vs 65.8± 11.7, p=0.407). Among the four subscales, women reported a higher level of disclosure stigma than men (21.1± 5.5 vs 20.3± 5.5; p=0.006). Regarding maladaptive coping strategies, men often used substances compared to women (2.8± 1.5 vs 2.1± 0.4; p< 0.001). However, women use behavioral disengagement (4.6± 1.1 vs 4.2± 1.1; p=0.002) and self-distraction (5.9± 1.5 vs 5.5± 1.7; p=0.019) more often than men. Females used a higher level of adaptive coping strategies compared to males (42.5± 4.9 vs 40.9± 6.3, p=0.005). Furthermore, females were found to use more emotional-focused coping than males (27.6± 3.2 vs 26.4± 4.0; p< 0.001).
Conclusion: Women reported a higher level of disclosure stigma than men and the types of coping strategies used vary between male and female. Thus, interventions to support PLWHA must take into account the gender differences in terms of perceived stigma.



中文翻译：

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埃塞俄比亚哈勒尔 Jugal 医院艾滋病毒/艾滋病感染者的耻辱感和应对策略的性别差异

背景：艾滋病毒/艾滋病是最具破坏性的疾病之一，对艾滋病毒/艾滋病感染者 (PLWHA) 的健康和福祉有多重影响。很少有研究检查 PLWHA 在感知污名方面的性别差异以及他们在埃塞俄比亚使用的不同应对策略。
目的：评估 PLWHA 在感知污名和应对策略方面的性别差异。
方法：2018 年 5 月 1 日至 7 月 30 日在埃塞俄比亚东部哈拉尔的 Jugal 医院进行了一项横断面比较研究。共纳入 412 名（206 名女性和 206 名男性）感染者。收集了面对面采访者管理的数据。使用 Berger HIV 污名量表评估感知到的 HIV 污名。类似地，应对策略是使用对经历的问题的简要应对取向（Brief COPE）量表进行评估的。使用 STATA 版本 13 分析数据。
结果：平均 Berger 耻辱量表评分为 65.3± 11.3。男性和女性的总体感知污名平均得分在统计学上没有差异（64.8±10.8 vs 65.8±11.7，p=0.407）。在四个分量表中，女性报告的披露污名程度高于男性（21.1±5.5 vs 20.3±5.5；p=0.006）。关于适应不良的应对策略，与女性相比，男性经常使用物质（2.8±1.5 vs 2.1±0.4；p<0.001）。然而，女性比男性更频繁地使用行为脱离（4.6±1.1 vs 4.2±1.1；p=0.002）和自我分心（5.9±1.5 vs 5.5±1.7；p=0.019）。与男性相比，女性使用了更高水平的适应性应对策略（42.5±4.9 vs 40.9±6.3，p=0.005）。此外，发现女性比男性使用更多以情绪为中心的应对方式（27.6±3.2 vs 26.4±4.0；p<0.001）。
结论：女性报告的披露污名程度高于男性，并且男性和女性使用的应对策略类型不同。因此，支持 PLWHA 的干预措施必须考虑到对耻辱感的性别差异。