Interdisciplinary perspectives on 'what matters most' in the cultural shaping of health-related stigma in Indonesia.

Health-related stigma plays a significant role in the burden of various health conditions such as neglected tropical diseases and mental illnesses, and undermines successful health outcomes. Stigmatised individuals can face lifelong socioeconomic consequences because of their condition. It is broadly recognised that culturally salient factors interact with the way stigma is expressed in different local contexts.

Beyond the Knife-Reviewing the Interplay of Psychosocial Factors and Peripheral Nerve Lesions.

Peripheral nerve injuries are a common clinical problem. They not only affect the physical capabilities of the injured person due to loss of motor or sensory function but also have a significant impact on psychosocial aspects of life. The aim of this work is to review the interplay of psychosocial factors and peripheral nerve lesions.

An Application of the Confidante Method to Estimate Induced Abortion Incidence in Java, Indonesia.

Context: Induced abortion is legally restricted and highly stigmatized in Indonesia, and is thus extremely difficult to measure. Indirect methods leveraging women's social networks, such as the Confidante Method, have shown promise in estimating hidden behaviors, including abortion, in similar settings.

Methods: A community-based survey was conducted among 8,696 women aged 15-49 in Java, Indonesia, in November 2018-January 2019.

Assessing the Impact of the Twin Track Socio-Economic Intervention on Reducing Leprosy-Related Stigma in Cirebon District, Indonesia.

The consequences of leprosy go beyond the physical, social and psychological, as leprosy can drive persons affected and their families into poverty, stigmatization and disability. This paper describes the impact of a socio-economic development (SED) intervention that uses a twin-track approach (two micro-credit models) to reduce leprosy-related stigma in Cirebon District, Indonesia. A randomized-controlled mixed-methods study design was used to test the effectiveness of the SED intervention.

Increasing the uptake of long-acting and permanent methods of family planning: A qualitative study with village midwives in East Java and Nusa Tenggara Barat Provinces, Indonesia.

Objective: this analysis aims to explore midwives' insights into the provision of long-acting and permanent methods of contraception (LAPMs) in the selected areas of East Java and Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB) Provinces, Indonesia.

Design: a qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted with 12 village midwives from 12 villages, to explore their perceptions and experiences in delivering family planning services.

Setting: the study was carried out in May-June 2013, as part of the baseline assessment in the Improving Contraceptive Method Mix (ICMM) study.

Cultural validation of a new instrument to measure leprosy-related stigma: the SARI Stigma Scale.

Background: There is a need for comprehensive, valid and reliable instruments to assess leprosy-related stigma. This paper presents the process of the cross-cultural validation of an instrument in Cirebon District, Indonesia initiated by the Stigma Assessment and Reduction of Impact (SARI) project.

Methods: The Berger Scale was initially developed to assess HIV/AIDS-related stigma.

Impact of socio-economic development, contact and peer counselling on stigma against persons affected by leprosy in Cirebon, Indonesia –a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: People affected by leprosy are often stigmatised, but stigma is rarely quantified and the effectiveness of interventions is often not evaluated. The SARI Project aimed to test and evaluate three interventions: counselling (involving peer counsellors), socio-economic development (SED) and contact between community members and affected people.

Results: This study used a controlled trial design in which pairs of the stigma-reduction interventions were randomly allocated to sub-districts in Cirebon District,Indonesia.

A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Intervention Study to Assess the Effect of a Contact Intervention in Reducing Leprosy-Related Stigma in Indonesia.

Background: Can deliberate interaction between the public and persons affected by leprosy reduce stigmatization? The study described in this paper hypothesises that it can and assesses the effectiveness of a 'contact intervention'.

Methods/principal Findings: This cluster-randomized controlled intervention study is part of the Stigma Assessment and Reduction of Impact (SARI) project conducted in Cirebon District, Indonesia. Testimonies, participatory videos and comics given or made by people affected by leprosy were used as methods to facilitate a dialogue during so-called 'contact events'.

The cultural validation of two scales to assess social stigma in leprosy.

Background: Stigma plays in an important role in the lives of persons affected by neglected tropical diseases, and assessment of stigma is important to document this. The aim of this study is to test the cross-cultural validity of the Community Stigma Scale (EMIC-CSS) and the Social Distance Scale (SDS) in the field of leprosy in Cirebon District, Indonesia.

Methodology/principle Findings: Cultural equivalence was tested by assessing the conceptual, item, semantic, operational and measurement equivalence of these instruments.

The meaning of leprosy and everyday experiences: an exploration in cirebon, indonesia.

It is imperative to consider the meaning of leprosy and everyday experiences of people affected by leprosy and key persons in the community if one aims to make leprosy services more effective, which appears necessary in Indonesia given the large numbers of new cases detected annually. However, little is written in the international literature about the experiences of people currently being treated for leprosy, those cured, or other key informants. This paper analyses the narratives of the people by drawing upon in-depth interviews with 53 participants and 20 focus groups discussions.

Sexual behavior among injection drug users in 3 indonesian cities carries a high potential for HIV spread to noninjectors.

Objective: To establish the prevalence of injecting practices that carry a risk of HIV infection among injection drug users (IDUs) in Indonesia and to examine the risk of sexual transmission of HIV from IDUs to noninjecting populations.

Design: A first round of behavioral surveillance among community-recruited male IDUs in 3 cities.

Methods: In late 2002, IDU gathering places were mapped in 3 cities, and 650 IDUs were recruited using multiple wave sampling originating from sites systematically selected for diversity.