Reducing HIV Stigma and Improving Well-being in Ryan White Clinics Through Staff and Patient Training

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating an intervention to reduce stigma against people living with HIV PLH who face challenges in accessing and staying engaged with life-saving treatment. The study involves Ryan White HIVAIDS Program RWHAP funded clinics in the SouthEast United States. The goal is to co-develop programs using evidence-informed strategies that address stigma at organizational and individual levels within clinics, improving patient care and staff well-being. The intervention includes interactive trainings delivered over six months at five selected clinics. These trainings cover topics such as the roots and consequences of stigma in healthcare, the history of HIV stigma, and the relationship between stress and stigma. Each clinic will develop a Code of Practice formalized into a manual to guide ongoing stigma reduction efforts and support sustainability. Participants from clinic staff and select patients will complete self-administered surveys every six months for two years, assessing stigma and cultural humility. Researchers will measure changes in stigma levels, staff attitudes and behaviors, patient care practices, and psychological well-being indicators like anxiety, depression, and stress. The study aims to improve healthcare workforce well-being and generate lessons for implementing HIV care practice changes.

Ending the HIV Epidemic: An All-facility Intervention for Patient and Healthcare Staff Well-being