The Intersectionality of Stigma Toward HIV, Aging, Mental Illness, and Dementia Among Healthcare Professionals Serving the HIV-Infected Aging Population in Vietnam.

The intersection of HIV, aging, mental illness, and dementia presents a critical global health challenge, especially in resource-limited settings like Vietnam. This study examines the interconnected stigmas held by healthcare professionals toward older adults living with HIV/AIDS (OALWH), focusing on stigma toward HIV, aging, mental illness, and dementia, as well as knowledge gaps related to dementia. Using a cross-sectional online survey developed in collaboration with Hanoi Medical University in Vietnam and Michigan State University in the United States, data were collected from 81 healthcare professionals working with OALWH in Hanoi, Vietnam. Results indicated that stigma across these domains is highly interrelated, with stigma related to mental illness and dementia emerging as the most central factors. Additionally, participants reported moderate levels of dementia knowledge, but no significant relationship was found between knowledge and attitudes, suggesting that increasing factual knowledge alone may not reduce dementia stigma. These findings underscore the urgent need for coordinated treatment and interventions that span infectious disease, geriatrics, neurology, and psychiatry. Intervention efforts should address multiple intersecting stigmas and deliver culturally relevant content in hybrid formats to enhance accessibility and effectiveness.