Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Apr;33(2):120-128.
doi: 10.1521/aeap.2021.33.2.120.

Development and Validation of the Community PrEP-Related Stigma Scale (Community-PSS)

Angel B Algarin  1 , Cho Hee Shrader  2 , Benjamin T Hackworth  3 , Nelson Varas-Diaz  4 , Kristopher P Fennie  5 , Diana M Sheehan  6 , Gladys E Ibañez  7
Affiliations

Development and Validation of the Community PrEP-Related Stigma Scale (Community-PSS)

Angel B Algarin et al. AIDS Educ Prev. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

Despite increasing availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), HIV prevention efforts have stalled. It is important to study potential barriers to HIV prevention methods, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis stigma. This study aims to develop and validate the Community PrEP-related Stigma Scale (Community-PSS) to address gaps in the literature. Participants were 108 sexual and gender minority men recruited through virtual and community-posted advertisements in Florida. The authors assessed reliability using Cronbach's alpha analysis, determined scale components using principal component analysis, and assessed construct validity based on five a priori hypotheses. The scale had high internal consistency (α = 0.86) and four components (stigma of actions outside of sex, stigma of sexual actions, extreme stigma perceptions, and positive community perception). The Community-PSS was valid, supporting four out of five hypotheses and in the expected directions. The Community-PSS was a valid and reliable tool in the sample and correlates with a previously validated PrEP stigma scale, HIV knowledge, PrEP knowledge, and likelihood of condom use with a partner on PrEP.

Keywords: HIV prevention; pre-exposure prophylaxis; scale development; stigma.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Algarin AB, Shrader CH, Bhatt C, Hackworth BT, Cook RL, & Ibañez GE (2019). The pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) continuum of care and correlates to initiation among HIV-negative men recruited at miami gay pride 2018. Journal of Urban Health, 96(6), 835–844. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Calabrese SK, & Underhill K. (2015). How stigma surrounding the use of HIV preexposure prophylaxis undermines prevention and pleasure: A call to destigmatize “truvada whores”. American Journal of Public Health, 105(10), 1960–1964. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). PrEP 101. Retrieved from https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/44604/cdc_44604_DS1.pdf?
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019a). CDC data confirm: Progress in HIV prevention has stalled. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/0227-hiv-prevention-stalled.html
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019b). HIV surveillance report, 2018.30 Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveil...

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources