标题：A generation at risk: a cross-sectional study on HIV/AIDS knowledge, exposure to mass media, and stigmatizing behaviors among young women aged 15–24 years in Ghana
摘要：Charity Konadu Asamoah a , Benedict Oppong Asamoah b* http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7308-1698 & Anette Agardh ba International Master Programme in Public Health, Faculty of Medicine , Lund University , Malmö , Sweden b Social Medicine and Global Health, Department of Clinical Sciences , Lund University , Malmö , Sweden CKA conceptualized and designed the study, acquired data, analyzed, and drafted the first version of the manuscript. BOA was involved in designing the study, analysis and interpretation, and writing and critical review of the manuscript. AA was involved in the conceptualization, design, interpretation, and critical review of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript. CONTACT Benedict Oppong Asamoah benedict_oppong.asamoah@med.lu.se Social Medicine and Global Health, Department of Clinical Sciences , Lund University , Jan Waldenströmsgata 35, Malmö 205 02 , Sweden HIV/AIDS stigmatizing behaviors are a huge barrier to early detection and treatment of individuals with the AIDS virus. HIV/AIDS stigma and related consequences are debilitating, especially for vulnerable populations. This study sought to assess whether young women’s HIV/AIDS knowledge levels and exposure to mass media (television and radio) have an influence on their stigmatizing behaviors and role as agents of stigma towards individuals living with HIV and AIDS. The data used for this study originated from the Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2011. Binary and multiple (stepwise) logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations between HIV/AIDS knowledge, frequency of exposure to mass media, and HIV/AIDS stigmatizing behaviors among young women aged 15–24 years in Ghana. Of the 3573 young women, 80% of 15–19-year-olds and 76% of 20–24-year-olds had at least one stigmatizing behavior towards persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). Young women with increased knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS and frequent exposure to mass media (television and radio) had lesser tendency to stigmatize or act as agents of stigma towards PLHA (proportion with at least one stigmatizing behavior per subgroup – HIV/AIDS knowledge: those with highest knowledge score 579 [70.1%], those with lowest knowledge score 28 [90.3%]; mass media: those with daily exposure 562 [73.4%], those not exposed at all 249 [89.2%]). There was a graded negative ‘exposure–response’ association between the ranked variables: HIV/AIDS knowledge, mass media, and HIV/AIDS stigmatizing behaviors. The significant inverse association between HIV/AIDS knowledge, frequency of exposure to mass media, and HIV/AIDS stigmatizing behaviors persisted even after adjusting for all other covariates in the multiple logistic regression models. It is extremely important to increase HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and reduce stigma among young women in Ghana through targeted HIV/AIDS factual knowledge transfer. The use of mass media for communication of issues regarding HIV/AIDS, its mode of transmission, and associated stigma should be emphasized among women in Ghana.
