Tackling HIV Stigma What works?

4 WHAT THE EVIDENCE TELLS US ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HIV STIGMA INTERVENTIONS
4
WHAT THE
EVIDENCE TELLS
US ABOUT THE
EFFECTIVENESS
OF HIV STIGMA
INTERVENTIONS
Although there are many examples of creative
stigma reduction initiatives from across the world,
evidence of intervention outcomes can be difficult to
find. This is often because when money is limited the
work itself is prioritised over funding for evaluation. It
is also very difficult to evidence a direct causal link
between some of the social interventions we discuss
below, such as changes in public policy, and
changes in stigma. In a recent review of the
evidence, Stangl et al (2013) found: ‘…critical
challenges and gaps remain which are impeding the
identification of effective stigma and discrimination
reduction strategies that can be implemented by
national governments on a larger scale’. 37
This gap is evident in the UK and the rest of Europe
where there is a deficit in evaluated programmes that
can contribute to the evidence base. While there are
barriers in translating programmes from one context
to another, this does not wholly explain the lack of
investment in expanding some of the proven work
on stigma from outside Europe to a European
audience. The programmes for addressing stigma
which do exist often do not draw upon international
learning.
The framework for stigma in fig.1 is helpful in
identifying how interventions could be effectively
adapted to new contexts. This section looks at
different types of stigma interventions and the
evidence, where it is available, for how effective they
have been.
Recommendations:
2. Funders in the UK and wider EEA
should invest in developing the
evidence base for effective stigma
interventions by funding stigma
reduction programmes that
incorporate evaluation.
3. The European Centre for Disease
Control (ECDC) should work with
governments to support roll-out of
existing proven stigma interventions
in Europe.
37 Stangl et al (2013) pp.9
10 NAT
Tackling HIV stigma: What works?