Social stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS is still prevalent around the world. But certain countries have more complicated perceptions of the disease, as social phenomena such as gender disparity intersect with the existing stigma. This is the case in Vietnam, where women—often seen as subordinate in male-female relationships and expected to fulfill caregiving roles within the family—frequently have limited power to access healthcare. These circumstances pose a problem for the 73,000 women living with HIV/AIDS in Vietnam. Since 2020, Dr. Lin worked with Hanoi Medical University in Vietnam on a two-phase project to study this challenge and provide solutions to better the lives of women living with HIV.

The first phase, consisting mostly of interviews and focus groups, allowed the research team to understand how Vietnamese women living with HIV cope with the disease. The qualitative study provided insights into the stressors and social-cultural influences impacting women living with HIV. The second phase included codesigning an intervention that would help empower women and reduce their internalized stigma in collaboration with healthcare providers, women living with HIV, and investigators in Vietnam. The intervention was delivered in a hybrid format, combining in-person sessions, Zoom meetings, and Zalo (a social media platform) discussions that were aimed at boosting the confidence of women living with HIV. This setup helped to encourage the women to engage in treatment and also fostered mutual peer support. The intervention was promising, showing improved coping skills and a reduced perception of barriers to care.

The project provided important information that allowed Dr. Lin and her collaborators to begin providing solutions to help women living with HIV in Vietnam. This hybrid intervention which showcased promising outcomes in Vietnam serves as a starting point for broader implementation on a larger scale and in various settings. The study team is currently investigating evidence-based interventions that engage the spouses and partners of women living with HIV to strengthen family relationships and enhance support for these women.