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Volume 12 Issue 3 ( July-September ) 2023

Original Articles

Stigma among healthcare providers towards people living with HIV/AIDS in India
Dr. Naveen Prabhu Jayaraj, Dr. Akanksha Rathi, Dr. Vikas Kumar, Dr. Kalika Gupta

Background: The healthcare providers (HCPs) are the ones that provide People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) with medical care, psychological support, and counseling. However, HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination have been extensively documented amongst them. Objectives: To investigate the perceptions and attitudes of HCPs towards PLHIV in India. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a convenient sample of 208 healthcare providers working in a tertiary care hospital in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India. The data regarding the HCPs attitudes and acts towards PLHIV were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, and their stigma was quantitatively assessed with the help of the Sexually Transmitted Blood Borne Infection (STBBI) Stigma Scale. Results: A total of 208 healthcare providers participated in the study, of which, 142 (68.3%) were females, 111 (53.4%) were doctors, and 179 (86.1%) were of Hindu religion. Notably, only 13% of providers believed that they lack training required to handle HIV patients; however, 37% of the providers expressed their hesitation in dealing with them. The mean score of STBBI stigma scale was 2.71 +/- SD 1.08. The mean scores of stereotype, prejudice and discrimination subscales were 2.81 +/- SD 1.07, 2.57 +/- SD 1.19 and 2.78 +/- SD 1.37, respectively. Gender (male as compared to female), occupation (doctors as compared to nurses and other staff), and an experience of less than 5 years were significantly associated with presence of stigma. The ANOVA test was used to find the association between stigma and age, and it was deduced that the age group of 25 to 29 years was significantly associated with higher stigma scores as compared to other age groups. Conclusion: A large number of HCPs demonstrated stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination towards HIV patients, and this attitude can adversely affect the quality of care.

 
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