Abstract
The background to thr article is that, the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) - related stigma tends to create a vicious cycle of fear, ignorance, mistrust, misinformation, denial and self-isolation, which tend to further spread the virus because stigma affects the way people will take their treatment. The objective of this study was to assess the forms of stigma, and determine the role of stigma and other factors among HIV and the Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients on Anti- Retroviral Therapy (ART) in Limbe Health District. For the method, a cross-sectional design with a sample size of 389 was used. Interviewer- administered questionnaire was used to collect data from HIV and AIDS patients belonging to HIV support groups in Limbe Health District found at the treatment centre of the Limbe Regional Hospital. Data was collected on socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, forms of stigma and factors in association. Data was analyzed using STATA version 7.0. Results have shown that in all, stigma was experienced by 76.7% respondents. Among this group, self-stigma was experienced by 95% of the respondents while 28% experienced external stigma. Majority of respondents (92.8%) admitted it was not easy to disclose their status, 7.2% felt dirty while 20.05% felt guilty of contracting HIV. Association of overall stigma with adherence to treatment showed no statistical significance, however respondents who did not experience self-stigma were more adherent (76.9%) than those who experienced overall stigma (71.01%). It can thus be concluded that people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) belonging to HIV support groups in LHD experienced both internalized and external stigma, with the former experienced by almost all the respondents. Although stigma was not significantly associated with adherence to treatment, the very high level of internalized stigma warrants the implementation of stigma reduction measures.
Highlights
The stigmatization of people living with Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (PLWHA) tends to create a vicious cycle of “socially shared ignorance, fear, mistrust, misinformation, denial which further spread the disease” [1]
The stigmatization of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) tends to create a vicious cycle of “socially shared ignorance, fear, mistrust, misinformation, denial which further spread the disease” [1]
Assess the common forms of stigma experienced by PLWHA who were members of HIV support groups in Limbe Health District
Summary
The stigmatization of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) tends to create a vicious cycle of “socially shared ignorance, fear, mistrust, misinformation, denial which further spread the disease” [1]. This study was out to determine the forms of HIV-related stigma experienced by HIV patients taking treatment at a health district. The National AIDS Control Committee (NACC) estimates that 141 HIV new infections are diagnosed daily in Cameroon, giving an average of six infections per hour. According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), continued stigmatization and the resulting discrimination of PLWHA has created numerous barriers in preventing further infections, providing further care, support and treatment of PLWHA [3]. HIV-related stigma and discrimination is defined as “a process of devaluation of people either living with or associated with HIV and AIDS. While discrimination follows stigma and is the unfair and unjust treatment of an individual based on his
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