Mass Media and HIV/AIDS Stigma among Women in Urban and Rural Areas: Findings from the 2008/09 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey

Benta A. Abuya, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)
Elijah Onsomu, Winston-Salem State University
DaKysha Moore, Johnson C. Smith University
Irene Okech, Imbako Public Health

This study seeks to examine the association between media and HIV/AIDS stigma. Retrospective cross-sectional data from 2008/09 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey were used, adjusting for weights and strata to account for survey complex design. The study sample comprised of women aged 15-49 (n=8,359). HIV/AIDS stigma (direct contact) among women who did not read newspapers/magazines at all compared to those did almost every day was 29% vs. 1%, p<0.001. For women who resided in rural areas; as it relates to HIV/AIDS stigma (direct contact), those who read newspapers/magazines sometime, at least once a week, and almost every day were 32%, p <0.001); 22%, p <0.01) and 26%, p <0.001) less likely to have stigma compared to those who did not read newspapers/magazines at all. All media need to be scaled-up towards efforts to curb HIV/AIDS stigma particularly in rural areas in Kenya.