Disentangling HIV and Sexual Stigma: A Vignette Experiment

Despite major advances in HIV treatment and the scientific consensus that undetectable HIV is untransmittable (U=U), HIV-related stigma persists and continues to negatively affect the well-being and social lives of people living with HIV. Previous research suggests that HIV stigma is closely intertwined with attitudes toward homosexuality, with gay and bisexual men often experiencing greater blame and less social support than heterosexual individuals with HIV. However, much of the existing experimental work on HIV stigma is outdated, based on small or non-representative samples, or unable to examine intersecting stigmas. The present study addresses this gap by using a vignette experiment embedded in the Norwegian Citizen Panel to experimentally manipulate HIV status and sexual orientation, allowing for an examination of how these stigmas interact in shaping public attitudes towards HIV and sexual minorities.