Association between Food Insecurity and Procurement Methods among People Living with HIV in a High Resource Setting (Open Access)
…
Peer-Reviewed Papers
Food insufficiency, housing and health-related quality of life: results from the Positive Spaces, Healthy Places study (Abstract)
First published in AIDS Care: Psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV in 2015, this paper demonstrates a correlation between food insufficiency, housing instability and poorer physical and mental health. Findings reinforce the importance of addressing the social determinants of health as an integral part of HIV care.
Meta-analysis of Health and Demographic Correlates of Stigma Towards People Living with HIV (Abstract)
Published in AIDS Care in 2009, this paper presents a meta-analysis of 24 studies related to stigma. Results show that, for people living with HIV, stigma is associated with low social support, poor physical health, poor mental health, younger age and lower income. It recommends the development of better HIV-related stigma scales, to allow for greater consistency across studies.
Mastery Moderates the Negative Effect of Stigma on Depressive Symptoms in People Living with HIV (Abstract)
First published in AIDS and Behaviour in 2012, this article examines data from 825 participants in the OHTN Cohort Study and suggests that a sense of mastery — of personal control over important life forces or outcomes — can mitigate the negative impact of stigma. Results emphasize that interventions targeting the mental health concerns of people living with HIV should increase their focus on improving an individual’s sense of personal control.
Gender and Ethnicity Differences in HIV-related Stigma Experienced by People Living with HIV in Ontario, Canada (Open Access)
Published in PLOS ONE in 2012, this paper examines stigma experienced by 1026 participants in the OHTN Cohort Study. Findings suggest differing approaches may be required to address HIV-related stigma based on gender and ethnicity; and such strategies should challenge racist and sexist stereotypes.
Protective and risk factors associated with stigma in a population of older adults living with HIV in Ontario, Canada (Abstract)
First published in AIDS Care in 2013, this study analyzes enacted, anticipated, and internalized stigma scores for 378 OHTN Cohort Study participants. Findings show that women, heterosexual people, people who engage in maladaptive coping strategies, and people with poor self-rated health were experienced greater overall stigma. It suggests that the anticipation of being stigmatized and the internalization of the negative aspects of having HIV may be important to consider in supportive psychosocial treatments for depression among older adults living with HIV.
The Impact of HIV-related Stigma on Older and Younger Adults Living with HIV Disease: Does Age Matter? (Abstract)
This article, first published in AIDS Care in 2015, explored the stigma experienced by 960 participants in the OHTN Cohort Study to determine whether older age correlates with higher scores on measures of enacted, anticipated, and internalized stigma. Results suggest that older adults experience less internalized stigma, but that stigma levels peak at different times for individuals who are depressed. Findings reinforce the importance of social support and coping styles in the mitigation of stigma across age groups.
Impacts of Criminalization on the Everyday Lives of People Living with HIV in Canada (PDF)
This study, first published in 2014 in Sexuality Research and Social Policy, examines interviews with 122 people living with HIV regarding their sense of personal security and their romantic and sexual relationships. It reports that the largest number of respondents believe that criminalization has unfairly shifted the burden of proof such that people living with HIV are guilty of non-disclosure until proven innocent.