Testing a Multi-Level Approach to Reduce Stigma for Women Living With HIV

This study will test two approaches to reduce HIV-related stigma and improve quality of life and viral suppression among women living with HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Twenty health facilities will take part. One approach will help facility staff reduce stigma, while the other will use group sessions to help women manage internalized stigma. The study will include 680 women living with HIV who have missed clinic visits or attended the most recent clinic visit 14 or more days late and will follow them for 12 months. Researchers will assess quality of life and viral suppression as well as how well the approaches are delivered, what supports or limits their success, and their initial costs. A study advisory group-including women living with HIV, community partners, health care providers, and Ministry of Health representatives-will help refine the approaches, interpret the findings, and guide recommendations for wider use.