Abstract
Stigmatization of and discrimination against People Living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are increasingly recognized as the single greatest challenge to slowing the spread of HIV and partly the cause of the increased death rate particularly in Africa and Ghana to be specific. The purpose of the study was to identify the causes and effects of stigmatization of and discrimination against PLHIV visiting the Central Regional Hospital of Ghana for treatment and care. The research was conducted with a sample size of 120. Purposive and convenient/accidental sampling techniques were used to select respondents for the study. The study revealed that some people in Ghana stigmatize PLHIV because of the misconceptions they have about the modes of HIV transmission, the myths surrounding HIV and AIDS as well as their socio-cultural backgrounds and orientations. These stigmatizing behaviors towards PLHIV have serious health, social and psychological effects on them in particular and the society at large. Based on the results of the study, it is recommended that there should be an intensification of education on HIV and AIDS through the media. This would make the population in Ghana more knowledgeable about the disease, which may help to reduce stigmatization of and discrimination against persons living with HIV.
Highlights
HIV and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in Ghana were first recorded in 1986, mainly among women who had travelled outside the country and since the epidemic has been growing steadily (GAC, 2011a)
The findings show that twenty (66.7%) of them went to the hospital as a result of frequent fever; five (5) representing 16.7% as a result of frequent coughing; two (2) representing 6.7% because of frequent diarrhea; another group of two (2) representing 6.7% because skin rashes; and one (1) representing 3.3% because of voluntary counseling and testing
Various reasons may account for this low level of voluntary testing in the Central Region; it has been argued that the fear of stigmatization prevents people from going for voluntary counseling and testing in HIV
Summary
HIV and AIDS in Ghana were first recorded in 1986, mainly among women who had travelled outside the country and since the epidemic has been growing steadily (GAC, 2011a). According to the 1998 Ghana Demographic Health Survey Report, HIV and AIDS awareness is very high with 97% of women and 99% of men hearing of the epidemic, personal risk perception is low, as 54% women and 58% men believe that they have no chance of contracting HIV (GSS, 2011). The HIV epidemic has been accompanied by fear, ignorance and denial, leading to stigmatization of and discrimination against PLHIV and their family members (MoH, 2008). The result was that those, who did not know their HIV sero-status, were afraid of having to face stigmatization and discrimination, if they should be diagnosed of the infection and they were not responding to voluntary testing and treatment campaigns (MoH, 2008). In view of the challenges that PLHIV faces in terms of stigmatization and discrimination, HIV-related stigma is increasingly recognized as the single greatest challenge to slowing down the spread of the disease (Varni et al, 2012)
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