en Sexual behavior پژوهشي Research Article <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="line-height:normal"><span style="unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt"><span lt="" optima="" std="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:black">Background and Objective: </span></span></span></b><span style="font-size:8.0pt"><span lt="" optima="" std="" style="font-family:">Internalized stigma (IS) is defined as negative stereotypes people hold about themselves and have accepted them. The purpose of this study was to determine IS among HIV/AIDS patients in Kermanshah, Iran.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:normal"><span style="unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt"><span lt="" optima="" std="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:black">Materials and Methods:</span></span></span></b> <span style="font-size:8.0pt"><span lt="" optima="" std="" style="font-family:">This cross-sectional research was conducted on<b> </b><span style="color:black">200</span> HIV/AIDS patients in the Behavioral Diseases Counseling Center of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran, in 2021. The required data were collected using a questionnaire and holding an interview. The gathered data were analyzed in SPSS-16 software using one-way analysis of variance, independent samples t-test, and bivariate correlation tests.</span></span><span style="font-size:8.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Optima LT Std",sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:normal"><span style="unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt"><span lt="" optima="" std="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:black"><span style="letter-spacing:.1pt">Results:</span></span></span></span></b> <span style="font-size:8.0pt"><span lt="" optima="" std="" style="font-family:">The average overall score of IS was obtained at 5.65 (score range: 0 to 6). The mean internalized stigma score was slightly higher among male patients, single individuals, those with primary education, unemployed patients, and those with poor economic status; however, it was not statistically significant.</span></span><span style="font-size:8.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Optima LT Std",sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:normal"><span style="unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt"><span lt="" optima="" std="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:black">Conclusions: </span></span></span></b><span style="font-size:8.0pt"><span lt="" optima="" std="" style="font-family:">It can be concluded that IS highly prevalent among HIV/AIDS patients in Kermanshah. Comprehensive interventions among patients are needed to reduce stigma.</span></span><span style="font-size:8.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Optima LT Std",sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <br> &nbsp; HIV/AIDS, Internalized Stigma, Kermanshah 112 116 http://ajnpp.umsha.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-43-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Mehdi Mirzaei-Alavijeh mehdimirzaiea@yahoo.com 10031947532846006748 10031947532846006748 No Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Mehdi Moradinazar m.moradinazar@gmail.com 10031947532846006749 10031947532846006749 No Clinical Research Development Center, Motazedi Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Ebrahim Shakiba shakiba.ebr1@gmail.com 10031947532846006750 10031947532846006750 No Behavioral Diseases Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Farzad Jalilian f_jalilian@yahoo.com 10031947532846006751 10031947532846006751 Yes Behavioral Diseases Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran