HIV/AIDS Stigma, Discrimination and its Impact on Treatment Adherence
1 Department of Medicine, Abia State University, Nigeria.
2 Department of Medicine, V.N Karazin National University Kharkiv, Ukraine.
3 Department of Pathology, Armed Forces Medical College, Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
4 Department of Medicine, Abia State University, Nigeria.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2020, 08(02), 451-460
Publication history:
Received on 19 October 2020; revised on 26 November 2020; accepted on 29 November 2020
Abstract:
Background: Despite advancements in HIV care, stigma and discrimination remain major barriers to treatment adherence across sub-Saharan Africa. In Nigeria, these factors continue to undermine the success of antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs. This study assessed the prevalence of stigma and discrimination and their impact on treatment adherence among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Zaria, Nigeria.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 PLHIV receiving ART at public healthcare facilities in Zaria, Nigeria. Data were collected using a structured, pretested questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics summarized respondents’ characteristics, while Chi-square tests determined associations between stigma, adherence, and socio-demographic variables at a 5% significance level.
Results: Among the 250 respondents, 65.4% were female. The majority (81.2%) were married and 45.2% had tertiary education. Overall, 37.2% reported experiencing HIV-related stigma or discrimination. Stigma was significantly associated with age (p = 0.018), sex (p = 0.018), marital status (p = 0.039), educational level (p = 0.038), occupation (p = 0.046), family size (p = 0.023), and duration on ART (p = 0.001). Participants who experienced stigma demonstrated markedly poorer adherence (24.7%) compared to those without stigma (5.1%) (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: HIV-related stigma and discrimination remain substantial barriers to optimal ART adherence in Zaria. Reducing stigma through targeted health education, family involvement, and psychosocial interventions is essential for improving adherence and quality of life among PLHIV.
Keywords:
HIV stigma; Discrimination; Antiretroviral therapy; Treatment adherence; Nigeria
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Copyright © 2020 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0