HIV-Related Stigma/Discrimination among Nigerian Dental Patients

Abstract

Objective: To examine the HIV-related discrimination toward people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) among dental patients.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among adult male and female dental patients attending University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City between August, 2016 and October, 2017. A pretested HIV stigma/discrimination scale was the data collection tool..

Results: PLWHA were characterized by the participants as people that engage in irresponsible behaviours (19.4%), have many sexual partners (24.4%), do not care if they infect other people (26.3%), promiscuous (13.8%), dirty people (2.5%) and cursed people (1.3%). Shaming (11.3%) and blaming (10.0%) of PLWHA were noted among the participants. Participants agreed that PLWHA should not be allowed to have babies (11.3%), must have their freedom restricted (13.1%) and should not be allowed to work (4.4%). Social interaction/contact inhibition were observed as fifteen percent (15.0%) dislike having contact with them, 11.3% do not want to be friends with them, 11.9% were reluctant to live in the same community, 3.8% would pack out of the compound their neighbor is living HIV/AIDS positive and 3.8% agreed that PLWHA should be isolated. Moderate to severe stigma/discrimination was reported by 22.5% of the participants. Awareness of PLWHA was statistically significant with stigma/discrimination (P=0.006) (Table 3)..

Conclusion: This study showed a quarter (22.5%) of the participants had moderate to severe discrimination towards PLWHA which was significantly associated with awareness of the status of PLWHA. Efforts to improve HIV status disclosure will necessarily decrease related stigma/discrimination