Table V.
Internalized Stigma Scale Mean Scores by Sociodemographic Characteristics (n = 202)
| Characteristics | %Sample (n) |
Overall scale |
Stereotypes | Disclosure concerns |
Social relationships |
Self- acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||||||
| Male | 49.5 (100) | 40.4 | 47.4 | 34.2 | 27.2 | 57.4* |
| Female | 49.0 (99) | 41.7 | 49.8 | 30.2 | 29.7 | 51.4 |
| Female transgender | 1.5 (3) | 58.3 | 72.9* | 38.3 | 51.2** | 52.1 |
| Age | ||||||
| 18–35 a | 20.0 (40) | 45.5 | 50.5 | 37.0* | 36.5* | 58.8 |
| 36–49 | 54.0 (109) | 40.1 | 47.8 | 29.8 | 26.8 | 54.7 |
| 50+ | 26.0 (53) | 42.2 | 50.2 | 34.8 | 28.2 | 51.7 |
| Race | ||||||
| African Americanb | 56.0 (112) | 44.2* | 50.7* | 36.6** | 30.0 | 58.1* |
| White | 28.0 (56) | 38.2 | 46.4 | 24.6 | 27.6 | 49.1 |
| Latino/a | 10.0 (20) | 36.0 | 41.6 | 32.9 | 24.4 | 51.6 |
| Other | 6.0 (12) | 46.4 | 54.2 | 40.8 | 33.6 | 52.1 |
| Income | ||||||
| Income below FPL | 54.0 (109) | 44.9** | 51.1 | 37.7** | 32.8** | 56.7 |
| ncome above FPL | 46.0 (93) | 38.1 | 46.5 | 26.1 | 24.1 | 51.7 |
| Primary language | ||||||
| English | 94.0 (191) | 41.1* | 48.1* | 31.4* | 28.1 | 54.5 |
| Non-English | 6.0 (11) | 54.5 | 63.0 | 48.5 | 40.9 | 52.3 |
| Education | ||||||
| No / some high schoolc | 24.0 (48) | 46.2* | 50.7 | 39.2* | 36.1* | 59.5* |
| Graduated high school | 46.0 (92) | 39.7 | 47.3 | 30.4 | 26.6 | 51.8 |
| College | 30.0 (60) | 41.1 | 50.2 | 29.9 | 26.0 | 53.9 |
| Relationship status | ||||||
| Not married/in relationship | 72.8 (147) | 43.0* | 49.9 | 33.0 | 30.5* | 56.8* |
| Married/in relationship | 27.2 (55) | 38.4 | 46.4 | 30.6 | 24.2 | 48.0 |
| Sexual preference | ||||||
| Heterosexual | 69.3 (140) | 43.2* | 50.9* | 33.7 | 29.7 | 55.0 |
| Homosexual / Bisexual | 30.7 (62) | 38.5 | 44.4 | 29.2 | 26.7 | 52.9 |
| History of IDU | ||||||
| Yes | 22.5 (43) | 43.7 | 47.9 | 34.6 | 36.6* | 55.8 |
| No | 77.5 (148) | 41.4 | 49.6 | 31.6 | 26.8 | 54.4 |
| Years since HIV diagnosis | ||||||
| 0–5 yrsd | 22.2 (43) | 50.5** | 56.9* | 43.2** | 36.6* | 63.8* |
| 6–10 yrs | 26.3 (51) | 42.4 | 49.4 | 32.5 | 30.0 | 55.3 |
| >10 yrs | 51.5 (100) | 37.9 | 45.7 | 28.1 | 25.0 | 49.6 |
| Ever diagnosed with AIDS | ||||||
| Yes | 43.4 (85) | 40.9 | 60.1* | 28.1* | 27.0 | 50.7* |
| No | 56.6 (111) | 42.6 | 47.6 | 36.2 | 29.7 | 58.3 |
| Current CD4 cell count | ||||||
| <200 (cells/uL) | 15.8 (32) | 43.6 | 51.0 | 34.3 | 26.4 | 56.6 |
| >201 (cells/uL) | 84.2 (170) | 41.4 | 48.6 | 31.9 | 28.5 | 54.0 |
| Currently on ART | ||||||
| Yes | 71.4 (142) | 40.6 | 47.7 | 31.6 | 27.3 | 53.7 |
| No | 28.6 (57) | 44.8 | 52.0 | 35.0 | 32.4 | 55.9 |
*
p<.05;
**
p<.01
Note: FPL = federal poverty level, FPL for family of 2 is $1140 / month; IDU = Intravenous drug use; ART = antiretroviral therapy
a
Mean score for age 18–35 years compared with age 36–49 years
b
Mean score for African Americans compared with Whites
c
Mean score for no/some high school compared with graduated high school and college education
d
Mean score for 0–5 years since diagnosis compared with 10 years or more since diagnosis