Stigmatising Attitudes Among Healthcare Providers Towards People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) Attending A Tertiary Hospital In Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Aim: To determine the presence and predictors of stigmatizing attitudes among healthcare providers
towards PLWHA in Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Methods: A cross-sectional design was made to include consented 100 healthcare providers at the Federal
Medical Centre, Abeokuta. Stigma was assessed using Health Policy Initiative (HPI) questionnaire for the
assessment of HIV/AIDS-related stigma in health facilities. The mean differences of healthcare provider
stigma indicators were computed using independent t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Logistic regression analysis of factors affecting level of stigmatization was computed.
Results: 52% of the respondents were males. The mean age was 35.96±7.14 years. Moderate stigmatizing
attitudes among health-care providers towards PLWHA was observed. Working in HIV clinic and gender
were independent predictors of whether health care providers will stigmatize. In multivariate analysis, female
healthcare providers were sixteen times more likely to stigmatize (OR = 15.50, CI 2.84 – 84.56, p = 0.002),
doctors were 13 times more likely to stigmatize (OR = 12.86, CI 1.51 – 109.79, p = 0.02) and workers in HIV
clinic were five times more likely to stigmatize (OR = 4.70, CI 1.10 – 20.04, p = 0.04).
Conclusion: The presented study revealed healthcare providers had moderate stigmatizing attitudes
towards PLWHA. There is a need to provide regular training for health care providers in Abeokuta on HIVrelated stigma and universal precautions.
Keywords: Healthcare providers, HIV/AIDS-related Stigma, PLWHA