"It's Better If I Die Because Even in the Hospital, There is a Stigma, People Still Gossip": Gossip as a Culturally Shaped Labeling Process and Its Implications for HIV-Related Stigma in Botswana.

Journal: AIDS and behavior

Volume: 27

Issue: 8

Year of Publication: 2023

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. op@cumc.columbia.edu. Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana. Department of Psychology, Queens College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA. Department of Clinical and Counselling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Medical Research Council, South Africa, Cape Town, South Africa. Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA. University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA. School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA. Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Abstract summary 

This study qualitatively explores HIV-related gossip as both a manifestation and driver of HIV-related stigma, which is a known barrier to HIV testing and treatment in Botswana. Data were elicited from 5 focus group discussions and 46 semi-structured in-depth interviews with individuals living with HIV and community members with undisclosed serostatus in Gaborone, Botswana in 2017 (n = 84). Directed content analysis using the 'What Matters Most' theoretical framework identified culturally salient manifestations of HIV-related stigma; simultaneous use of Modified Labeling Theory allowed interpretation and stepwise organization of how the social phenomenon of gossip leads to adverse HIV outcomes. Results indicated that HIV-related gossip can diminish community standing through culturally influenced mechanisms, in turn precipitating poor psychosocial well-being and worsened HIV-related outcomes. These harms may be offset by protective factors, such as appearing healthy, accepting one's HIV status, and community education about the harms of gossip.

Authors & Co-authors:  Poku Eschliman Entaile Rampa Mehta Tal Silvert Li Becker Govindasamy Stockton Adedimeji Ho-Foster Blank Dangerfield Yang Murray

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations :  Ramogola-Masire D, Poku O, Mazhani L, Ndwapi N, Misra S, Arscott-Mills T, et al. Botswana’s HIV response: policies, context, and future directions. J Community Psychol. 2020;48:1066–70.
Authors :  17
Identifiers
Doi : 10.1007/s10461-023-03980-x
SSN : 1573-3254
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Humans
Other Terms
Botswana;Culture;Gossip;HIV/AIDS;Stigma
Study Design
Study Approach
Qualitative
Country of Study
Botswana
Publication Country
United States