Dear Purabi,

As such social stigma can not be measured in values or scale. If you want to emphasize its effect on patients life, you can take a general survey of the disease related patients involving questionnaire to the central topic of stigma and its impact on their life. The results of the survey then can be presented in percent values or other means. 

Dear Purabi,

The following text was taken from a manuscript and a review article which describe the variety of methods for measuring stigma in AIDS & TB:

1- Abstract

Background

HIV-related stigma has negative consequences for infected people's lives and is a barrier to HIV prevention. Therefore valid and reliable instruments to measure stigma are needed to enable mapping of HIV stigma. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the HIV stigma scale in a Swedish context with regard to construct validity, data quality, and reliability.

Methods

The HIV stigma scale, developed by Berger, Ferrans, and Lashley (2001), was distributed to a cross-sectional sample of people living with HIV in Sweden (n = 194). The psychometric evaluation included exploratory factor analysis together with an analysis of the distribution of scores, convergent validity by correlations between the HIV stigma scale and measures of emotional well-being, and an analysis of missing items and floor and ceiling effects. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α.

Results

The exploratory factor analysis suggested a four-factor solution, similar to the original scale, with the dimensions personalised stigma, disclosure concerns, negative self-image, andconcerns with public attitudes. One item had unacceptably low loadings and was excluded. Correlations between stigma dimensions and emotional well-being were all in the expected direction and ranged between −0.494 and −0.210. The instrument generated data of acceptable quality except for participants who had not disclosed their HIV status to anybody. In line with the original scale, all subscales demonstrated acceptable internal consistency with Cronbach's α 0.87–0.96.

Conclusion

A 39-item version of the HIV stigma scale used in a Swedish context showed satisfactory construct validity and reliability. Response alternatives are suggested to be slightly revised for items assuming the disclosure of diagnosis to another person. We recommend that people that have not disclosed should skip all questions belonging to the dimension personalised stigma. Our analysis confirmed construct validity of the instrument even without this dimension.

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0114867

2-Characterizing and measuring TB stigma

Characterizing TB stigma.

Understanding the origins of TB stigma is integral to reducing its impact on health. Using surveys, focus groups, and unstructured and focused interviews, a number of studies have explored the causes of TB stigma. Although there is geographic and cultural variation in the explanations for why TB is stigmatized, most authors identify the perceived contagiousness of TB as a leading cause of stigmatization. Lack of knowledge regarding routes of TB transmission may also contribute to TB stigma. Even among people with relatively good knowledge of TB transmission and transmissibility, however, the perceived risk of transmission can lead to stigmatization and isolation of individuals with TB.

In areas of high HIV prevalence, where HIV and TB co-infection is common, the link between the two diseases has contributed to the stigmatization of TB. TB is perceived as a marker for HIV positivity; therefore, HIV-associated stigma is transferred to TB-infected individuals. Other causes of TB stigma include the perceived associations of TB with malnutrition, poverty, being foreign-born, and low social class. As with HIV, TB is stigmatized in this context because it is linked to other disvalued characteristics, which themselves are also social determinants of health. Finally, TB stigma may occur because an affected individual's community believes he or she must have done something to deserve to be infected. This judgment may reflect the belief that TB is divine punishment for a moral or personal failing, which then licenses stigmatization.

TB-infected individuals perceive themselves to be at risk for a number of stigma-related social and economic consequences. Because the most common result of TB stigma is isolation from other members of the community, TB infection can substantially impact economic opportunities. For example, the stigmatization of TB in Ghana has led to the prohibition of TB-infected individuals from selling goods in public markets and attending community events. When an individual dies of TB, fear of TB stigma can lead families to hide the cause of death from other members of the community, even when such information might be useful in targeted TB screening. Similarly, fear of TB stigma can lead infected individuals to hide their TB status from their families. TB stigma also results in a sense of shame or guilt, leading to self-isolation as TB-infected individuals internalize their community's negative judgments about the disease.

The socioeconomic consequences of TB stigma differ in men and women. In general, men are more concerned with the impact of TB stigma on their economic prospects, which include job loss and reduced income. While TB stigma also affects their financial status, women tend to be more concerned that TB stigma will adversely impact their marriage prospects or that their families will shun them. In some areas, however, men are more worried than women about the effect of TB stigma on their marriage opportunities.46 Married women with children may fear that their husbands will reject them if they are diagnosed with TB and that they will be unable to care for their families.

Measuring TB stigma.

In addition to characterizing the causes of TB stigma, several authors have attempted to capture the prevalence of perceived, internalized, and actually experienced TB stigma and to compare the extent of TB stigma in different geographic regions. Many studies use qualitative instruments (e.g., in-depth interviews and focus groups) to gauge the degree to which TB is seen as stigmatized in a community. Considerable geographic variability exists in the perceived prevalence of TB stigma, with 27% to 80% of at-risk individuals reporting that TB is stigmatized in their communities.48–50 TB stigma is felt more strongly in certain subpopulations, including women, refugees, individuals from rural areas, and people with lower education levels. Discordance between perceived and actual experiences of stigmatization among at-risk and TB-infected individuals has also been documented. For example, in one study of at-risk, TB-negative Mexican Americans, half the participants believed that someone with TB would experience social isolation. In a demographically similar comparison population of individuals with documented TB infection, none had actually experienced social isolation.38

To assist in better understanding the prevalence of TB stigma, several authors have developed standardized TB stigma assessment tools. For example, Macq et al. introduced and validated a quantitative TB stigma questionnaire based on surveys designed to measure mental health stigma. Their instrument captures both perceived and internalized TB stigma. Van Rie et al. developed a comprehensive TB stigma assessment scale covering domains such as fear of disease transmission, attitudes toward TB, association of TB with shame and judgment, and disclosure of disease status. Their scale has good internal consistency and reasonable test-retest reliability. Although measuring any type of stigma is a challenge, a number of instruments have been developed to quantify the stigmatization of other conditions; these may also be adapted to measure perceived and internalized TB stigma.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2882973/

Hoping this will be helpful,

Rafik

Dear Purabi Phukan,

there was many scales to predict stigma in TB.

I attached an rapid research performed in Pubmed.

Dear Purabi,

In addition to the Berger, Ferran and Lashley scale that Rafik Karaman described, there are other approaches to understanding the effects of stimgs. For example, 

Airhihenbuwa et al. (2009) used a community-based approach in their study Stigma, Culture, and HIV and AIDS in the Western Cape, South Africa: An Application of the PEN-3 Cultural Model for Community-Based Research (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3324276/). 

I wish you all the best in your quest to understand the effects of stigma on infectious diseases and look forward to reading your findings int he future.

Craig

Tuberculosis and Stigmatization: Pathways and Interventions

Andrew Courtwright, MD, PhDa and Abigail Norris Turner, PhDb,c

SYNOPSIS

The institutional and community norms that lead to the stigmatization of tuberculosis (TB) are thought to hinder TB control. We performed a systematic review of the literature on TB stigma to identify the causes and evaluate the impact of stigma on TB diagnosis and treatment. Several themes emerged: fear of infection is the most common cause of TB stigma; TB stigma has serious socioeconomic consequences, particularly for women; qualitative approaches to measuring TB stigma are more commonly utilized than quantitative surveys; TB stigma is perceived to increase TB diagnostic delay and treatment noncompliance, although attempts to quantify its impact have produced mixed results; and interventions exist that may reduce TB stigma.

Future research should continue to characterize TB stigma in different populations; use validated survey instruments to quantify the impact of TB stigma on TB diagnostic delay, treatment compliance, and morbidity and mortality; and develop additional TB stigma-reduction strategies.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2882973/

Preliminary development of a scale to measure stigma relating to sexually transmitted infections among women in a high risk neighbourhood

https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/facultyresearchandpublications/52383/items/1.0132551

Dear Purabi Phukan,

In many countries and communities, the stigma of HIV and subsequent

discrimination can lead to the same disastrous consequences as the disease itself: a break with the spouse and / or family, social ostracism, job loss and property, expulsion, denial of medical services, lack of care and support, and violence.

Women usually face more severe stigma and discrimination than men, more likely to have their manifestation in the most harsh and extremely damaging form and have fewer resources to cope with them.

In recent years, researchers and practitioners have

significant progress in determining the causes and extent of stigma

and discrimination, and develop practical tools for programs working with different audiences, and to standardize the units of measurement for the evaluation of programs.

The culmination of this work was to develop a set of common principles to overcome stigma and discrimination. These include: (a) elimination of the causes of stigma and discrimination and addressing the major challenges of affected populations; (B) measuring the extent of stigma as part of "knowing your epidemic and response" and the implementation / expansion

effective programs; (C) the use of a multilateral approach to reduce stigma and discrimination, and (d) evaluation of the work to reduce stigma and discrimination. These principles form the basis for the proposed actions that may take national AIDS programs - together with donors and civil society - to reduce stigma and discrimination. Use or promote approaches to addressing the root causes of stigma and address the key issues raised's groups.

Regards, Shafagat

Stigma in the HIV/AIDS epidemic: A review of the literature and recommendations for the way forward

Anish P. Mahajan,1,2 Jennifer N. Sayles,3 Vishal A. Patel,1 Robert H. Remien,4 Daniel Ortiz,5 Greg Szekeres,1 andThomas J. Coates1

Abstract

Although stigma is considered a major barrier to effective responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, stigma reduction efforts are relegated to the bottom of AIDS program priorities. The complexity of HIV/AIDS related stigma is often cited as a primary reason for the limited response to this pervasive phenomenon. In this paper, we systematically review the scientific literature on HIV/AIDS related stigma to document the current state of research, identify gaps in the available evidence, and highlight promising strategies to address stigma. We focus on the following key challenges: defining, measuring, and reducing HIV/AIDS related stigma as well as assessing the impact of stigma on the effectiveness of HIV prevention and treatment programs. Based on the literature, we conclude by offering a set of recommendations that may represent important next steps in a multifaceted response to stigma in the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2835402/

Stigma is a dynamic social phenomenon with multiple facets, therefore aim at a comprehensive socio-cultural context. Scales include Berger 2001 (HIV), Boyd 2003 (ISMI), Earnshaw (Chronic Illness Anticipated Stigma Scale) etc Therefore think through before you chose the scale!

• Please suggest TB stigma tool

There are 2 validated TB stigma scales that you can use. The Van Rie scale and the Somma scale. To know the impact of the stigma, it is probably best to do a qualitative study. A guide in how to measure TB stigma has been written and should be published in a few months

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18544216

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18290998