The Use of a Spanish-Translated PrEP Stigma Scale among the Latino Sample of the UNITE Cohort Study

Authors

Gabriel Robles, School of Social Work, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
Jonathan López-Matos, Doctoral Program in Health Psychology and Clinical Science, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
Jorge Cienfuegos-Szalay, Doctoral Program in Health Psychology and Clinical Science, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
Carlos E. Rodríguez-Díaz, The George Washington University-Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA.
H Jonathan Rendina, The George Washington University-Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

8-1-2024

Journal

Stigma and health

Volume

9

Issue

3

DOI

10.1037/sah0000433

Keywords

HIV prevention; Language; PrEP Cascade; biomedical intervention

Abstract

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) related stigma is linked to inadequate PrEP uptake, yet there are no validated scales to test this association among Spanish-speaking LSMM. The current study examined if the Spanish-translated PrEP Stigma Scale (PSS) was psychometrically appropriate for implementing in Spanish language dominant Latino/e/x Sexual Minority Men (SMM). Recruitment was conducted using geosocial networking applications, social media sites, and e-mail blasts (N=3,049). First, we utilized Item Response Theory (IRT) modeling to evaluate the reliability of the PSS items and the latent construct across both language groups (n = 2844 and n = 205). Subsequently, we applied the PSS scale in a theoretical application by examining its association with key steps in the PrEP uptake cascade (i.e., perceived PrEP candidacy, PrEP willingness, PrEP intentions, and having spoken to provider about PrEP) stratified by language. Results of the IRT analyses provided evidence that the translated version of the PSS was appropriate for use among this sample. Further, among English respondents, PrEP stigma was negatively associated with perceived PrEP candidacy (B=-0.30, p=<.001), PrEP willingness (B=-0.46, p=<.001), and PrEP intentions (B=-0.23, p=.003). PrEP stigma, among Spanish respondents, was not significantly associated with any of the PrEP cascade steps. This study demonstrated that the PSS scale performs adequately for both English and Spanish-speaking Latino SMM. However, researchers and health professionals alike should pay close attention to the nuanced effects in U.S. based English and Spanish language samples as PrEP stigma may impact the PrEP cascade for one language sample and not the other.

APA Citation

Robles, Gabriel; López-Matos, Jonathan; Cienfuegos-Szalay, Jorge; Rodríguez-Díaz, Carlos E.; and Rendina, H Jonathan, "The Use of a Spanish-Translated PrEP Stigma Scale among the Latino Sample of the UNITE Cohort Study" (2024). GW Authored Works. Paper 5529.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/5529

Department

Prevention and Community Health