Examining the Effect of Internalized HIV-Related Stigma on Perceptions of Research Participation Among HIV-Positive African American Women

HIV-related stigma may influence ethical concerns in health disparity populations, particularly groups with histories of race, gender, and class oppression in medical research such as African American women. However, a dearth of research has examined how HIV-related stigma influences perceptions of the research process among African American women who participate in health research. The goal of the current study was to examine whether HIV-related stigma experienced on the microlevel, specifically internalized HIV-related stigma, is associated with reactions to research participation in 5 domains: attitudes toward participation, perceptions of research benefits, emotional reactions, perceived drawbacks of the research, and global evaluations of the research. We also examine whether internalized HIV-related stigma is associated with difficulty in answering questions related to sensitive topics. We found that women with higher levels of internalized HIV-related stigma reported more emotional reactions to research, perceived more drawbacks of the research, and expressed more difficulty in answering sensitive questions. Understanding how HIVrelated stigma influences perceived risks and benefits of research participation may play an important role in guiding best practices for ethical engagement with HIV-positive African American women who participate in health research.