Project Orleu: Reducing Intersectional and HIV Stigma Among Health Care Providers and High Risk Women Who Use Drugs in Kazakhstan

Suboptimal linkage to and retention in HIV prevention and care is prevalent among high-risk women who use or inject drugs in both the US and globally, including high HIV incidence contexts like Kazakhstan; addressing HIV and intersectional stigma, especially from health care providers (HCP) within clinics, is necessary to increase engagement in the HIV care and prevention continuum. To address this challenge and increase HIV prevention and care, the proposed study will involve the design and assessment of the acceptability, feasibility, and usability of a three component, multi-level participatory intervention to promote stigma resistance/coping and reduce anticipated/internalized stigma among high-risk women who use drugs as well as to reduce enacted stigma among HCP in Kazakhstan, Central Asia. Results of this study will generate information in order to power a future preliminary effectiveness trial and will be unique in utilizing multilevel anti-stigma approaches for both high risk women who use drugs and HCP, all of which will have important implications for advancing HIV prevention and care engagement among highly stigmatized populations in diverse settings.