Stigmatization among People Living with HIV/AIDS at the Kumba Health District, Cameroon

Abstract

We determined the level, type of stigma, and risk factors associated with stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) by conducting a cross-sectional study from April to June 2018 in 3 HIV treatment centers in the Kumba Health District (KHD), Cameroon. We reviewed hospital registers, conducted focus group discussions, and administered structured questionnaires. For data analysis, we used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0. We recorded a total stigma index score of 59.1. Internal stigma (odds ratio [OR] 2.91; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.74-4.98) was common in PLWHA. Also, younger age <30 years (adjusted OR [AOR]: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.17-0.94) was linked with stigma reduction while low level of education (AOR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.02-2.97) increased the stigma level. HIV-related stigma is pervasive in the lives of PLWHA, with most of them having internal stigmatization. Appropriate health education on HIV will be crucial in reducing stigmatization in the KHD.

Levels of HIV/AIDS stigma and associated factors among sexually active Ethiopians: analysis of 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey Data

“…Different studies have indicated that a high proportion of PLWHA are being stigmatized and discriminated against by a significant proportion of the population they are sharing lives with even though the severities differ from country to country and from place to place [ 7 – 13 ]. The report from the 2017 Joint United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) showed that twenty percent of PLWHA across 19 countries where there were available data had avoided going to a clinic or hospital because of the fear of stigma or discrimination related to their HIV status [ 14 ].…”

“…The results from different studies have shown that Knowledge about HIV, educational status, age, place of residence, and marital status are some of the common factors associated with stigma and discrimination towards PLWHA [ 7 , 8 , 13 , 18 ].…”

A study on the adaptation of the HIV/AIDS‐related Stigma Scale into Turkish

“…The main source of the negative attitudes to and irrational fears about HIV/AIDS dates back to the periods when little was known about the disease and its causes (Arrey et al, 2017; Deschepper, 2017; Horter et al, 2019). Studies performed with people from many different social classes have shown that people do not have adequate information about HIV/AIDS, which triggers social stigmatization (Bozkurt & Turan, 2020; Egbe et al, 2020; Tran et al, 2019). Most of the studies conducted in Turkey about HIV/AIDS have aimed to reveal the level of knowledge and attitudes of the society about HIV/AIDS and have shown that adolescents have inaccurate information about the routes of transmission of the disease; male students have increased awareness and information about AIDS; culture influences the attitudes towards the disease; and education is effective in improving the knowledge and attitudes about the disease (Bulduk et al, 2006; Cimen et al, 2013; Kaya et al, 2010; Saruç et al, 2015).…”

“…HIV/AIDS‐related stigmatization has continued to cause anxiety in HIV‐positive individuals, their families, caregivers and even health care workers for a long time (Alexandra Marshall et al, 2017; Kabbash et al, 2018; Tran et al, 2019). Stigma is prevalent in rural and poverty‐stricken areas as a result of low education and lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS (Bozkurt & Turan, 2020; Egbe et al, 2020). Stigmatization refers to excluding a person or a community from the rest of the society, discriminating against them, and seeing them as worthless.…”

“…HIV/AIDS‐related stigmatization involves both patients’ stigmatizing themselves and stigmatization of the patients by their families, health professionals, laws, and the society (Egbe et al, 2020; Kabbash et al, 2018; Tran et al, 2019). Health professionals have been shown to have negative attitudes to patients with AIDS (Kabbash et al, 2018; Van Rie et al, 2008).…”