Social Stigma Attached to HIV/AIDS and its Determinants in Dire Dawa Town
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Date
2001-10
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
A cross sectional study was carried out from April to June 2001 among residents of
Diredawa town aged 18 year and above to assess the magnitude and determinants of stigma
related to HIV/AIDS and PLWHA. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select
845 study subjects. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were utilized.
Although majority of respondents were well aware about HIV/AIDS, there is still
misconceptions about its casual transmission. Most respondents manifest at least some
form of stigma towards PLWHA. Majority 527(68.7%) of the respondents agreed that
PLWHA should not have child and 463(60.4%) of them to keep the HIV positive status of
their family member secrete. Three hundred ninety six (51.6%) of the respondents said that
PLWHA should never be trusted and 363(47.3%) respondents believed that PLWHA
deserve the disease. More than a quarter of them 275(35.9%) also had an attitude of
separating PLWHA from others to safeguard the public and 269(35.1%) reported their
unwillingness to let their children learn in a school where one of the students is known to
be HIV positive. Significant (P<0.05) negative correlation between stigmatizing attitude
and knowledge of HIV/AIDS, belief about its casual transmission and income was
established. On multivariate analysis, level of education, income, knowledge of HIV/AIDS,
and belief about casual transmission of HIV were found to be significant (P< 0.05) negative
predictors of stigmatizing attitude towards HIV and PLWHA. Addressing the issues of
stigma in all activities that advocate disclosure of HIV status, encouraging PLWHA to
disclose their HIV status, IEC regarding casual transmission of HIV and further studies to
enrich knowledge about stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS and PLWHA are recommended
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Keywords
HIV/AIDS, PLWHA