The purpose of the study and identification of the problem
This article attempts to describe how studies have addressed issues of gender, race/ethnicity, and social class in studying stigma among HIV-positive women. Sandelowski, Barroso, and Voils look at HIV-related stigmas with gender and sexual orientation, race, class-related stigmas. They note that such an approach to understanding stigma has serious methodological challenges to researchers who have tried to identify interventions for counteracting the negative effects of stigma.
Analysis of the literature review
According to Sandelowski and associates literature review, HIV-positive persons experience stigmatization because they have contracted the fatal infection, and due to their locations on main areas of differences in terms of sexual orientation, gender, race/ethnicity, and social class (Sandelowski, Barroso and Voils, 2009).
They observe that people put HIV-related stigmas together with stigmas associated with homosexuality, hypersexuality (promiscuity and prostitution), and drug abuse accorded men, women, and people of low social classes and ethnic/race minorities (Cooper, 1998).
Analysis of the study framework or theoretical perspective
They also reviewed sexism and racism as guiding theoretical perspectives with regard to HIV-related stigmas. HIV-positive women from different races (blacks, whites, and Latinos) tended to minimize effects of stigmas by attributing them to sexism i.e. people judged HIV-positive women more harshly than their male counterparts because women should hold high standards of morals. They also note that minority HIV-positive women experienced a high level of stigmatization than their white counterparts; thus, they attributed this to racism (Siegel, Schrimshaw and Lekas, 2006).
Identification, description, and critique for appropriateness of any research objectives, questions, or hypothesis
The research objective seeks to establish how studies have addressed issues of race/ethnicity, gender, and social class associated with stigmas among HIV-positive women. The research objective is appropriate for the study since stigma has been a major source of concern among HIV-infected and affected persons. Not many studies have addressed this issue. As a result, their study findings show that layering approach to studying stigmas presents methodological challenges. Therefore, it is difficult to develop appropriate intervention measures.
Identification, description, and critique—conceptually and operationally—the major study variables
The main study variables consist of sex, gender, social class, sexual orientation, and race. Such variables are appropriate as they seek to provide concepts from which we can understand HIV-related stigmas from different perspectives. However, they focus mainly on sex and race and merely mention issues of sexual orientation and class. They also identify some beliefs “nice girls do not get AIDS” among white women.
Identification and critique of the attributes and demographic variables
The study is conclusive in terms of covering demographic variables such as gender, race/ethnicity, social class, and sexual orientation of the respondents. Most of the works in this field according to literature reviews by Sandelowski and colleagues, did not concentrate on gender, sexual orientation, social class. However, most studies focused on race/ethnicity.
Description and critique of the research design
The research design takes a meta-study approach where the authors gathered data from different sources, synthesized them using different tools and methods so as to retrieve, choose, and combine their findings with past studies in the related field. This is an appropriate approach that seeks to establish conclusive results with similarities and differences with past studies.
Description and critique of the sample and setting
The study uses a total of 32 HIV-positive women of different race/ethnicity, sexual orientations, social class and nationality in the US. However, this sample only represented HIV-positive women and the sample populations were relatively small compared to the number of HIV-infected women. In addition, the sample may not reflect the changing and emerging trends of sexual orientation, social statuses, and the fight against stigmas. They also talk of gender in reference to gay men while their samples exclusively focused on 32 HIV-positive women.
Description and critique of the measurement instrument used in the study
A meta-study uses a single reference point in order to study other results. This mode of measurement does not control sources of biases in the study and prediction of the outcome is difficult. Researchers did not account for cases of weak studies that had effects on the overall results and interpretation.
Description and critique of the procedures for data collection
Researchers collected data from both primary and secondary sources and applied meta-study in their approach. They then used an “intersectional” approach to study differences among various demographic characteristics rather than multiple approaches. The method for data collection is appropriate since the research seeks to establish how past studies have addressed the issue of HIV-related stigmas in relations to gender, race/ethnicity, social status, and sexual orientation.
Description and critique of the statistical analysis
Meta studies also involve meta-analyses of data. Thus, the process is systematic and conclusive with results based on analysis of independent results from other studies. The analysis method focuses on comparison of different of data where they use one as a reference point. However, comparison approach in analysis does not bring out individual’s unique characteristics of each sample as the method is too general.
Description and critique of the researcher’s interpretation
Researchers have clearly identified their findings that most studies did account for differences associated with gender, race/ethnicity, social class, and sexual orientation in studying stigmas associated with HIV in women. In addition, they note that layering of gender, race, and class in studying HIV-related stigmas presents considerable difficulties to people who seek reduce the negative effects of stigmas among HIV patients.
They argue that this is because issues of stigma, gender, race, or social class are not statics and cannot refer to individuals, but rather social processes and cultural performances of power. Thus, this article tends to agree that such issues are cases of health disparities.
Reference List
Cooper, H. (1998). Synthesizing research: A guide for literature reviews (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Sandelowski M., Barroso J. and Voils C. (2009). Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Social Class in Research Reports on Stigma in HIV-Positive Women. Health Care for Women International, 30, 273–288. Web.
Siegel, K., Schrimshaw, E., and Lekas, H. (2006). Diminished Sexual Activity, Interest, and Feelings of Attractiveness Among HIV-Infected Women in Two Eras of the AIDS Epidemic. Arch Sex Behav, 35, 437–449. Web.