Social Stigma and Family Support among HIV/AIDS Patients: A Psychological Analysis

Abstract

This paper intends to examine social stigma and family support among HIV/AIDS patients in terms of psychological context. As social stigma among patients has created psychological problems and family members have been trying to manage the issue through social support. Hence, these patients have faced depression, stress, and anxiety in their life as they have been socially stigmatized. This study used a quantitative study design to conduct a cross-sectional survey from 200 HIV/AIDS patients sampled through a convenient sampling technique from district headquarters hospital Sargodha. The measurement scales were used including Demographic Sheet, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), Perceived Discrimination Devaluation Scale (PDSS), and Perceived Family Support Scale (PFSS). The scale was pretested, and the value of Alpha was ranging from .811 to .915. The study findings asserted that perceived social support has a significant positive relationship with psychological problems among HIV/AIDS patients. The depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress symptoms were found to be high among the participants reporting an increased level of perceived social stigma. HIV/AIDS-related social stigma increase fear of rejection, loneliness, and other psychological issues. The results also pointed out that perceived social stigma mediated the relationship between the perceived family support and psychological problems, revealing the fact that it is eminent to prevent the HIV/AIDS-related stigma. Keywords: Social Stigma, Family Support, Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Patients