Question-Order Effect Experiment to Measure HIV Stigma

NCT06969690 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 2013P000395_5R01MH125667
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 180
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Question-order effect experiment to measure HIV-related stigma among people living with HIV (PWH).

Conditions

HIV

Keywords

HIV stigma; discrimination

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Self-esteem

  ...do you think less of yourself because of your HIV status? (single item)

  Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)

• Self-respect

  ...have you felt ashamed because of your HIV status? (single item)

  Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)

• Experiences of harassment due to HV status

  * have you lost respect or standing in the community because of your HIV status? * have people talked badly about you because of your HIV status? * have you been verbally insulted, harassed and/or threatened because of your HIV status? * have you been physically assaulted because of your HIV status? * has someone else disclosed your HIV status without your permission? * have you felt that people have not wanted to sit next to you, for example on public transport, at church or in the waiting room, because of your HIV status? (six items)

  Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)

Study Arms (2)

V1

EXPERIMENTAL

As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific treatments. The first treatment is a questionnaire with questions about internalized stigma followed by questions of experienced stigma. Each question is answered as Yes/No/It depends on knowing more details.

Other: Survey questionnaire V1

V2

EXPERIMENTAL

As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific treatments. The second treatment is a questionnaire with questions about experienced stigma followed by questions about internalized stigma. Each question is answered as Yes/No/It depends on knowing more details.

Other: Survey questionnaire V2

Interventions

Survey questionnaire V1 OTHER

Each version of the questionnaire includes a different order of statements about which study participants are asked to provide a Yes, No, or It depends response.

V1

Survey questionnaire V2 OTHER

Each version of the questionnaire includes a different order of statements about which study participants are asked to provide a Yes, No, or It depends response.

V2

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• \- All HIV-positive (self-reported) adults who consider Nyakabare their primary place of residence and who are capable of providing consent

You may not qualify if:

• Minors younger than 18 years of age, with the exception of emancipated minors
• Persons who do not consider Nyakabare Parish their primary place of residence, e.g. persons who happen to be visiting Nyakabare at the time of the survey or who own a home in Nyakabare but spend most of their time outside of the parish
• Persons with psychosis, neurological damage, acute intoxication, or other cognitive impairment (all of which are determined informally in the field by non-clinical research staff in consultation with a supervisor)
• Persons who are not HIV positive

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Massachusetts General Hospital: lead
• Mbarara University of Science and Technology: collaborator
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Mbarara, Uganda

Location

Study Officials

• Alexander C Tsai, MD, PhD

  Massachusetts General Hospital

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 5, 2025
• First Posted: May 14, 2025
• Study Start: November 2, 2023
• Primary Completion: January 6, 2025
• Study Completion: January 6, 2025
• Last Updated: May 14, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

UG (1)