Social acceptance of people living with HIV/AIDS and its correlates among students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Abstract

Introduction HIV/AIDS is not socially acceptable in most countries. People living with HIV/AIDS are stigmatized and pushed out of the community. The purpose of this study was to investigate the social acceptance of People living with HIV/AIDS and its correlates among the students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Methods This is a cross-sectional study that measured the social acceptance score of people living with HIV/AIDS using a questionnaire. The study population consisted of all students who were studying at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2023. Data were collected using stratified-systematic sampling from a sample of 464 students from 9 different faculties. Data collection was done using a researcher-made questionnaire with confirmed validity and reliability. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 23 and Stata version 16. The normality of the data was examined. Principal component analysis, T-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, followed by regression model for multivariate analysis were used to investigate the relationship between quantitative and qualitative variables with the outcome variable. Results The results presented that the average social acceptance score of HIV/AIDS was 21.60 ± 3.83 out of 36. Seven variables including marital status, smoking status, ethnicity, religious degree, age, knowledge, and fear score of HIV/AIDS can potentially affect the social acceptance of people living with HIV/AIDS. The results also indicated a significant relationship between smoking status, ethnicity, and the social acceptance scores of people living with HIV/AIDS, with marital status approaching significance. Conclusion The results of this study are a warning for policy-makers and decision-makers in the field of HIV/AIDS. In order to increase the social acceptance of the people living with HIV/AIDS, this study recommends increasing knowledge through the use of targeted educational interventions. It is essential to implement comprehensive educational programs in universities that focus on raising awareness about the disease. Additionally, developing outreach initiatives that utilize social media can help disseminate information and promote safe practices within the community.