Effects of media, interpersonal communication and religious attitudes on HIV-related stigma in Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Abstract Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence owing to sexual contact has been on the rise in Iran since 2006, with those afflicted liable to social stigmatization. Focusing on the role of the media, this quantitative study investigates factors associated with HIV-related stigma in Iran by using a structural equation model (PLS-SEM). A questionnaire was administered to 315 respondents drawn through 2-stage cluster sampling carried out in Iran's capital city, Tehran. The results indicate that media exposure augments HIV-related knowledge and thus, diminishes the HIV-related stigma; this effect is, however, diminished by the underdeveloped role of the Iranian media in HIV-oriented discussions. Moreover, adherence to Islamic teachings on sexual relationships boosts HIV-related knowledge. Furthermore, obtaining information through interpersonal communications influences knowledge and stigma regarding HIV; this effect is more powerful than that of the media in Tehran. In a backdrop of a pervasive stigma surrounding HIV in Iran, interpersonal communications appear to play a more prominent role in obtaining HIV-related information than do the media, which calls for the further development of the media's capacity and communication power.