This study aimed to investigate the effect of role-playing and lecture on improving the attitudes of the Khorramabad suburban population toward the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In 2019, 270 people aged 18 and above participated in a randomized controlled trial in Khorramabad, Iran. Individuals were randomly assigned to one of three groups: role-playing, lecture, or control. To collect data before and after the intervention, we used a standard HIV knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Before the educational intervention, three marginalized groups’ attitudes toward HIV were stigmatized. After the intervention, the attitudes of both the role-playing and lecture groups improved significantly relative to the control group (P<0.0001); there was no significant difference between the two methods (P>0.05). The correlation between attitude and knowledge scores was positive (P<0.0001). This study demonstrates that education is a fundamental pillar of improving attitudes toward people living with HIV (PLHIV) and can reduce stigma against them, thereby increasing their desire to disclose their condition and seek medical care. Trial registration: The trial registration code is IRCTID: IRCT20190807044467N1 (https://en.irct.ir/trial/41464).

Background: Marginalized populations are significantly important in the HIV control program due to their socio-economic conditions and lifestyles. Improving the individuals' stigmatizing attitudes, which can be achieved only through proper education, is a major way to prevent HIV. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of two methods, role-playing and lecture, on improving the attitudes of the suburban population of Khorramabad towards HIV.Methods: The present randomized educational trial was conducted on 270 suburban populations over 18 years of age in Khorramabad, Iran in 2019, and the individuals were randomly assigned to three groups, namely role-playing, lecture, and control. We utilized a standard HIV knowledge and attitude questionnaire to collect data before and after the intervention. We entered the data entered into the SPSS and analyzed them using the independent two-sample t-test, paired t-test, and multiple regression.Results: The attitudes towards HIV were stigmatizing in all three groups of the marginalized population before the educational intervention. After education, the attitudes of both groups, role-playing and lecture, improved significantly compared to the control group (P<0.0001); however, there was no significant difference between the two methods. (P> 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between scores of attitude and knowledge (P<0.0001).Conclusion: Education is a basic pillar of improving the attitude towards individuals living with HIV/AIDS, and can lead to lower stigma and discrimination against people with the disease, and thus their greater desire to disclose their disease and receive medical services. Even though there was no significant difference between the two methods of teaching role-playing and lecture in the present study, further studies should be conducted on determining effective teaching methods due to the widespread of educational methods.