Efficacy testing of a culturally relevant stigma reduction intervention for women living with HIV in Tanzania

Abstract

HIV-related stigma impedes HIV prevention and treatment and affects the health and quality of life of people living with HIV. Evidence-based internalized stigma reduction interventions are an identified gap in the response to HIV stigma. Our protocol article describes the methods and procedures for a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania to test the preliminary efficacy of the Labda Siku Moja (Maybe Someday) internalized stigma reduction intervention for women living with HIV on the proximal outcomes of internalized stigma, coping self-efficacy, self-esteem, and resilience, which we hypothesize are the mechanisms of change through which the intervention would work to improve distal clinical and behavioral outcomes. In addition, our study will provide data on implementation feasibility. If this preliminary efficacy trial demonstrates intervention effect on the proximal outcomes, it will signal that a larger trial testing the effect on downstream distal clinical and behavioral outcomes is warranted. Our study will add to the nascent literature on rigorously evaluated internalized HIV stigma interventions.