Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
201,642 studies31 sourcesUpdated 15 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDStigma and health

Development and validation of a novel widowhood stigma scale

  • Jackline A. Odhiambo1,2
  • Louisa N. Ndunyu1
  • Janet M. Turan3
  • Erick O. Nyambedha4
  • Nadra E. Lisha5
  • Elizabeth A. Bukusi6,7,8
  • Craig R. Cohen7,8
  • Sheri D. Weiser9
  • Ushma D. Upadhyay7,10
10 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Public Health, Maseno University, Kenya
  2. 2Nyanam Widowed women Rising, Kisumu, Kenya
  3. 3Department of Health Policy and Organization, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
  4. 4Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Maseno University, Kenya
  5. 5Division of Prevention Science, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
  6. 6Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya
  7. 7Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
  8. 8Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Maseno University, Kenya
  9. 9Division of HIV, Infectious Disease and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
  10. 10Center for Gender and Health Justice, University of California Global Health Institute, CA, USA
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

The United Nations has identified stigma as one of the three burdens faced by widowed women, alongside sexual and economic vulnerabilities.Despite its recognized importance, no multidimensional validated tool currently exists to measure widowhood stigma.We used a mixed methods exploratory sequential design.First, we combined findings from a literature review and a qualitative study on widowed women in Gem Sub-County in western Kenya to generate an item pool for the widowhood stigma measure.Then, 10 widowhood experts reviewed the item pool that was subsequently tested and revised through cognitive interviews with six widowed women.The revised item pool was included in a cross-sectional survey with an age-stratified random sample of 480 widowed women.Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, reliability, and validity tests to develop the Widowhood Stigma Scale.The final Widowhood Stigma Scale comprised three subscales (Internalized Stigma, Loss of Social Status, and Social Isolation) and demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .93).The items were measured on 4-point Likert scales, with higher scores showing greater levels of widowhood stigma.The 19-item scale demonstrated preliminary construct validity with a strong positive correlation with depression (rs = 0.51) and a moderate negative correlation with functional social support (rs = -0.41).This study presents the first validated multidimensional Widowhood Stigma Scale.It offers a critical tool that can be applied in future research to understand the experience, prevalence, and health effects of widowhood stigma and to inform the development of widowhood stigma-reduction interventions and policies. Clinical Impact StatementOur work provides the first multidimensional measurement tool for widowhood stigma in sub-Saharan Africa.This makes widowhood stigma a measurable social determinant for health.It creates opportunities for further research on trends, regional comparisons, and the effects of widowhood stigma on multiple health behaviors and outcomes.It also facilitates evaluation of widowhood stigma-reduction interventions and policies.

Related

  1. Development and validation of a novel metabolic-inflammatory health-related nomogram for predicting in-hospital mortality in older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus combined with cardiovascular disease
    Juntao Tan, Tailin Dong, Yuxin He +1
    Frontiers in medicinePeer-reviewedCC BYFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC
  2. Development and psychometric validation of a multidimensional menstrual hygiene scale
    Ayşe Aydın, Fatma Ocakoğlu, Meltem Şirin Gök +1
    Scientific ReportsPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Full textEpidemiology & public healthCrossref
  3. Item Development and Preliminary Validation of the Variability in Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale (VACE)
    Mary Jo Hedrick, Jessica Templeton, Andrei Sigunov +1
    Journal of Child & Adolescent TraumaPeer-reviewedLicence not statedFull textPsychiatry & mental healthPMC
  4. Irrational health beliefs as barriers to health behaviors: development and validation of a brief scale in a Japanese population
    Hirono Ishikawa, Mio Kato, Satoru Kikuchi +1
    BMC Public HealthPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Epidemiology & public healthCrossref
  5. Development and initial psychometric validation of the Organ Donation Scale for University Students (ODS-US)
    Trilce Ahtziri Dávila-Navarrete, Antonio Alarcón-Paredes, Yanik Ixchel Maldonado-Astudillo +3
    BMC Public HealthPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Epidemiology & public healthCrossref

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{odhiambo2026development,
  title = {{Development and validation of a novel widowhood stigma scale}},
  author = {Jackline A. Odhiambo and Louisa N. Ndunyu and Janet M. Turan and Erick O. Nyambedha and Nadra E. Lisha and Elizabeth A. Bukusi and Craig R. Cohen and Sheri D. Weiser and Ushma D. Upadhyay},
  journal = {Stigma and health},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.1037/sah0000710},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000710},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Development and validation of a novel widowhood stigma scale
AU  - Jackline A. Odhiambo
AU  - Louisa N. Ndunyu
AU  - Janet M. Turan
AU  - Erick O. Nyambedha
AU  - Nadra E. Lisha
AU  - Elizabeth A. Bukusi
AU  - Craig R. Cohen
AU  - Sheri D. Weiser
AU  - Ushma D. Upadhyay
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/02
JO  - Stigma and health
DO  - 10.1037/sah0000710
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000710
AB  - The United Nations has identified stigma as one of the three burdens faced by widowed women, alongside sexual and economic vulnerabilities.Despite its recognized importance, no multidimensional validated tool currently exists to measure widowhood stigma.We used a mixed methods exploratory sequential design.First, we combined findings from a literature review and a qualitative study on widowed women in Gem Sub-County in western Kenya to generate an item pool for the widowhood stigma measure.Then, 10 widowhood experts reviewed the item pool that was subsequently tested and revised through cognitive interviews with six widowed women.The revised item pool was included in a cross-sectional survey with an age-stratified random sample of 480 widowed women.Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, reliability, and validity tests to develop the Widowhood Stigma Scale.The final Widowhood Stigma Scale comprised three subscales (Internalized Stigma, Loss of Social Status, and Social Isolation) and demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .93).The items were measured on 4-point Likert scales, with higher scores showing greater levels of widowhood stigma.The 19-item scale demonstrated preliminary construct validity with a strong positive correlation with depression (rs = 0.51) and a moderate negative correlation with functional social support (rs = -0.41).This study presents the first validated multidimensional Widowhood Stigma Scale.It offers a critical tool that can be applied in future research to understand the experience, prevalence, and health effects of widowhood stigma and to inform the development of widowhood stigma-reduction interventions and policies. Clinical Impact StatementOur work provides the first multidimensional measurement tool for widowhood stigma in sub-Saharan Africa.This makes widowhood stigma a measurable social determinant for health.It creates opportunities for further research on trends, regional comparisons, and the effects of widowhood stigma on multiple health behaviors and outcomes.It also facilitates evaluation of widowhood stigma-reduction interventions and policies.
SN  - 2376-6972
SN  - 2376-6964
ER  -