Stigmatization and Discrimination toward people Living with HIV/AIDS in a Coastal City of South India
Kumar, N.; Unnikrishnan, B.; Thapar, R.; Mithra, P.; Kulkarni, V.; Holla, R.; Bhagawan, D.; Kumar, A.
Journal of the International Association of Providers of Aids Care 16(3): 226-232
2017
ISSN/ISBN: 2325-9582 PMID: 25656862 DOI: 10.1177/2325957415569309Document Number: 263524
The HIV/AIDS scenario all over the world is complicated by the stigmatic and discriminative attitudes toward the HIV-infected individuals. In this facility-based, cross-sectional study, 104 HIV-positive patients were assessed regarding their personal experience with HIV-related stigma and discrimination using a Revised HIV Stigma Scale. The association between stigma and factors such as socioeconomic status and gender was tested using chi-square test, and P < .05 was considered statistically significant. A large proportion (41.3%) of the participants were in the age-group of 26 to 35 years. Confidentiality of the HIV positivity status was maintained only in 14.4% of the participants. Compared to females (48.2%), more than half (51.5%) of the male participants had experienced HIV/AIDS-related personalized stigma ( P > .05). HIV-related stigma and discrimination are the major social determinants driving the epidemic, despite the advances in medical treatment and increases in the awareness about the disease.