HIV-Related Stigma Among Healthcare Providers in Different Healthcare Settings: A Cross-Sectional Study in Kerman, Iran

<span class="fontstyle0">Background</span><br /> <span class="fontstyle0">Stigmatizing attitudes among healthcare providers are an important barrier to accessing services among people living with HIV (PLHIV). This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the status and correlates of HIV-related stigma among healthcare providers in Kerman, Iran.<br /></span><br /> <br /> <span class="fontstyle0">Methods</span><br /> <span class="fontstyle0">Using a validated and pilot-tested stigma scale questionnaire, we measured HIV-related stigma among 400 healthcare providers recruited from three teaching hospitals (n = 363), private sectors (n = 28), and the only voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) center (n = 9) in Kerman city. Data were gathered using self-administered questionnaires at participants’ workplace during Fall 2016. To examine the correlates of stigmatizing attitudes, we constructed bivariable and multivariable linear regression models.<br /></span><br /> <br /> <span class="fontstyle0">Results</span><br /> <span class="fontstyle0">The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of stigma score was 25.95 ± 7.20 out of the possible 50, with higher scores reflecting more stigmatizing attitudes. Paramedics, nurses’ aides, and housekeeping staff had the highest, and VCT personnel had the lowest average stigma scores, respectively. Multivariable regression analyses showed that prior experience of working with PLHIV (β = -2.48; </span><span class="fontstyle0">P </span><span class="fontstyle0">=.03), exposure to HIV-related educational courses (β = -2.03; </span><span class="fontstyle0">P </span><span class="fontstyle0">=.02), and <span class="fontstyle0">P </span><span class="fontstyle0"><.001) were associated with lower stigma scores.<br /></span><br /> <br /> <span class="fontstyle0">Conclusion</span><br /> <span class="fontstyle0">Our findings highlight the need for health managers to provide training opportunities for healthcare providers, including programs that focus on improving HIV-related knowledge for healthcare providers. Enforcing policies that aim to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination among healthcare providers in Iran are urgently needed.</span></span>

Abstract licence: CC BY

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