Herek Gregory M, Capitanio John P, Widaman Keith F
Department of Psychology, University of California at Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616-8686, USA.
Am J Public Health. 2002 Mar;92(3):371-7. doi: 10.2105/ajph.92.3.371.
This study assessed the prevalence of AIDS stigma and misinformation about HIV transmission in 1997 and 1999 and examined trends in stigma in the United States during the 1990s.
Telephone surveys with national probability samples of English-speaking adults were conducted in the period 1996 to 1997 (n = 1309) and in 1998 to 1999 (n = 669). Findings were compared with results from a similar 1991 survey.
Overt expressions of stigma declined throughout the 1990s, with support for its most extreme and coercive forms (e.g., quarantine) at very low levels by 1999. However, inaccurate beliefs about the risks posed by casual social contact increased, as did the belief that people with AIDS (PWAs) deserve their illness. In 1999, approximately one third of respondents expressed discomfort and negative feelings toward PWAs.
Although support for extremely punitive policies toward PWAs has declined, AIDS remains a stigmatized condition in the United States. The persistence of discomfort with PWAs, blame directed at PWAs for their condition, and misapprehensions about casual social contact are cause for continuing concern and should be addressed in HIV prevention and education programs.
本研究评估了1997年和1999年艾滋病污名化及关于艾滋病毒传播的错误信息的流行情况，并考察了20世纪90年代美国污名化的趋势。
在1996年至1997年期间（n = 1309）以及1998年至1999年期间（n = 669），对讲英语的成年人全国概率样本进行了电话调查。研究结果与1991年一项类似调查的结果进行了比较。
在整个20世纪90年代，明显的污名化表现有所下降，到1999年，对其最极端和强制性形式（如隔离）的支持处于非常低的水平。然而，对偶然社交接触所带来风险的错误认知有所增加，认为艾滋病患者（PWAs）咎由自取的观念也有所增加。1999年，约三分之一的受访者表示对艾滋病患者感到不适和有负面情绪。
尽管对艾滋病患者采取极端惩罚性政策的支持有所下降，但在美国，艾滋病仍然是一种受到污名化的疾病。对艾滋病患者持续存在的不适感、将患病归咎于艾滋病患者以及对偶然社交接触的误解令人持续担忧，应在艾滋病毒预防和教育项目中加以解决。
