EconPapers    
Economics at your fingertips  
 

Knowledge, Stigma, and HIV Testing: An Analysis of a Widespread HIV/AIDS Program

Dean Yang, James Allen, Arlete Mahumane, James Riddell Iv and Hang Yu

No 28716, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Using randomized methodologies, we study a common community HIV/AIDS program that seeks to promote HIV testing by improving knowledge and reducing stigmatizing attitudes. Contrary to expectations, the program has a substantial negative effect on HIV testing rates. We provide evidence of likely mechanisms behind the program’s negative effect: it inadvertently increased misinformation about HIV transmission methods, and worsened HIV-related stigmatizing attitudes. Subsequent household-level randomized treatments providing correct information and addressing stigma concerns counteract the program’s negative effect on HIV testing. These findings highlight the importance of improving knowledge and alleviating stigma concerns when promoting HIV testing.

JEL-codes: D10 D80 I12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp and nep-hea
Note: DEV EH
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Published as Dean Yang & James Allen & Arlete Mahumane & James Riddell & Hang Yu, 2022. "Knowledge, stigma, and HIV testing: An analysis of a widespread HIV/AIDS program," Journal of Development Economics, .

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.nber.org/papers/w28716.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Knowledge, stigma, and HIV testing: An analysis of a widespread HIV/AIDS program (2023) Downloads
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nbr:nberwo:28716

Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from
http://www.nber.org/papers/w28716

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc National Bureau of Economic Research, 1050 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by ().

 
Page updated 2025-02-11
Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:28716