Abstract
HIV (Human immunodeficiency Virus), AIDS and cancer are feared terminal diseases. HIV sufferers are known to be stigmatized. The stigma surrounding cancer, unfortunately, is hardly the focus of psychological investigations, and hence this provoked the need to compare the stigma suffered by both groups, and how these have impacted on the psychological functioning of the disease sufferer. The study had two main objectives, firstly, to explore whether HIV patients suffer more stigma than cancer patients or not, and secondly, to understand the most common type of stigma and if stigma is associated with psychopathology. Psychopathology is measured with GHQ-28 which evaluates somatic complaints, anxiety, depression and social dysfunction. The study was a survey, and descriptive in nature, and anchored on two hypotheses: Firstly, that HIV patients will experience more stigmas than cancer patients and consequently report more psychological dysfunctions. Secondly that there will be a significant difference between types of stigma and the symptoms reported about them. Data were collected from a conveniently sampled group of 50 HIV positive patients and another 50 patients diagnosed with cancer, in two clinics and a hospital around the Gauteng Province. The majority of the participants were females, numbering 62 (62, 0%), whilst 38 (38.0%) were males. The age of the respondents ranged from 20-73 years with a mean age of 44.4 years (s.d. = 11.6). Results revealed a significant main effect for enacted stigma F = (1.98), = 17.629, p < .001 and anxiety F = (1.98) = 5.750, p < .001. A post hoc Bonferroni also showed that HIV patients had a higher mean score of enacted stigma (X-bar = 4.22) than cancer patients (X-bar = 1.28) and also HIV patients reported more anxiety (X-bar = 8.81) than cancer patients (X-bar = 6.42). Enacted stigma significantly influenced the GHQ Total (F = (98) = 1.700, p < .05); anxiety (F = (97) = 2.578, p < .004); and depression (F = (97) = 3.390 p < .001). The perceived community stigma had one main effect for depression (F = (1.98) = 1.452, p < .05). There were no significant main effects for internally felt stigma and psychological dysfunctions. Both hypotheses were partially supported. Recommendations included tailoring interventions to meet the cultural needs of patients. Other recommendations were made in accordance with the findings of the study.
Highlights
The (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS disease and cancer are feared terminal diseases because these diseases are life threatening and amongst the least understood in medical sciences
Hypothesis one, which stated that HIV patients will experience more stigmas than cancer patients and report more mental health problems, was tested using ANOVA
This study examined whether or not HIV patients will experience a stigma to a greater extent than cancer patients and in addition whether or not this type of stigma will influence the mental health symptom report
Summary
The (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS disease and cancer are feared terminal diseases because these diseases are life threatening and amongst the least understood in medical sciences. A main difference between the two diseases is that HIV is an infection whilst cancer is not, and the modes of acquiring either of these diseases are different, and these differences may have ramifications for whether an illness will be stigmatized or not, because Africans perceive incurable diseases as abnormal and may attribute them to the handwork of witches and wizards, evil people or angry ancestors or gods (Idemudia 2004a:8). In Africa, attributing causality to ill health has ramifications for whether an illness will be stigmatized or not (Idemudia, 2009:46). HIV (Human immunodeficiency Virus), AIDS and cancer are feared terminal diseases. The stigma surrounding cancer, is hardly the focus of psychological investigations, and this provoked the need to compare the stigma suffered by both groups, and how these have impacted on the psychological functioning of the disease sufferer
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