Grant: Project Grant

HIV stigma and discrimination have profound impacts on the health and quality of life of people living with this virus. Stigma and discrimination hinder global efforts to control the epidemic. Despite ambitious targets set by UNAIDS to reduce stigma and discrimination, there are no comprehensive global estimates to track progress, and this gap persists because measuring stigma and discrimination across diverse populations is complex and challenging. Our proposal aims to address this critical knowledge gap by developing an innovative statistical modeling framework. This framework will generate global, regional, and national estimates of stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV, considering factors like age, gender, and social identities (e.g., sexual minority status). By systematically reviewing surveys, we will leverage existing data and, using advanced statistical methods, we will address inconsistencies in survey questions and sampling strategies. Further, we will strengthen the evidence base on how stigma and discrimination affect HIV outcomes such as incidence and treatment coverage. Through collaborative efforts with experts in HIV epidemiology, mental health, demography, biostatistics, and community partners, our project will inform evidence-based strategies to combat stigma and discrimination. Our three objectives are to: 1) Estimate trends in negative attitudes towards PLHIV at global, regional, and national levels. 2) Assess the proportion of PLHIV who experience discrimination worldwide. 3) Investigate the relationship between HIV stigma and discrimination and HIV outcomes. By producing actionable insights and guiding programmatic priorities, our research aims to support the global initiative to eliminate HIV stigma and discrimination, and achieve the ambitious goal of "Ending AIDS".