Campbell, Catherine, Skovdal, Morten and Gibbs, Andy (2011) Creating social spaces to tackle AIDS-related stigma: reviewing the role of church groups in Sub-Saharan Africa. AIDS and Behavior, 15 (6). pp. 1204-1219. ISSN 1090-7165
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Abstract
An expanding body of literature explores the role of African church groups in facilitating or hindering the support of people living with AIDS and challenging or contributing to HIV/AIDS-related stigma. Treating church groups as social spaces in which HIV/AIDS-related stigma may potentially be challenged, we systematically review this literature, identifying five themes that highlight the complex and contradictory role of the church as a potential agent of health-enhancing social change. In many ways the church perpetuates HIV/AIDS-related stigma through (i) moralistic attitudes and (ii) its reinforcement of conservative gender ideologies. However some churches have managed move towards action that makes a more positive contribution to HIV/AIDS management through (iii) promoting various forms of social control for HIV prevention, (iv) contributing to the care and support of the AIDS-affected and (v) providing social spaces for challenging stigmatising ideas and practices. We conclude that church groups, including church leadership, can play a key role in facilitating or hindering the creation of supportive social spaces to challenge stigma. Much work remains to be done in developing deeper understandings of the multi-layered factors that enable some churches, but not others, to respond effectively to HIV/AIDS.
Item Type: | Article |
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Official URL: | http://www.springerlink.com/content/1090-7165 |
Additional Information: | © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media |
Divisions: | LSE Health Psychological and Behavioural Science |
Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BL Religion D History General and Old World > DT Africa R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine |
Date Deposited: | 16 Jun 2011 13:16 |
Last Modified: | 08 Oct 2024 07:09 |
URI: | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/36756 |
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