Oladunni Amos Abimbola, Sina-Odunsi Ayomide Busayo, Nuga Boyiga Bodinga, Adebisi Yusuff Adebayo, Bolarinwa Obasanjo Afolabi, Adeola Adesina Adetoun, Lucero-Prisno Don Eliseo
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
Regional Office for the East and Horn of Africa, International Organization for Migration, United Nations Migration Agency, Nairobi, Kenya.
Heliyon. 2021 Apr 13;7(4):e06687. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06687. eCollection 2021 Apr.
Stigma associated with HIV shapes all aspect of prevention and treatment, yet there are limited data on how HIV-infected adolescents are affected by stigma. Stigma increases risk of psychological problems among HIV-infected individuals which can affect access to treatment and social support services. This study aimed at identifying psychosocial factors of stigma and relationship to healthcare services among adolescents on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Gwale Local Government Area (LGA) of Kano state, Nigeria.
A facility-based cross-sectional survey was carried out from January 26 to February 28, 2020 across six health facilities providing ART service in Gwale local government. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. ART clients attending clinics were interviewed following an informed consent. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the data and results are presented using simple frequency tables and percentages. Upon completion of univariate analysis, the data was analyzed at the bivariate level using chi-square test to determine associations between different variables.
One hundred and eight (108) clients voluntarily participated in the study of which 54 (50%) are male respondents and 54 (50%) are female respondents. Under the internalized stigma item, 67% of HIV-infected adolescents who have lost their father or mother to AIDS reported feeling less valuable than other children who are not infected with HIV. Under the perceived stigma items, 86% of participants who have lost their father or mother to AIDS reported to have excluded themselves from health services and social activities in the last twelve months due to fear of being insulted. Under the experienced stigma items, 62% of participants who have lost their father or mother to AIDS reported to have been avoided by friends and colleagues in the last twelve months.
The study revealed that loss of intimate relation (father or mother) to AIDS and equal treatment with other HIV negative siblings were found to be significantly associated with the three forms of stigma (internalized stigma, perceived stigma, and experienced stigma) including access to healthcare services. There is a need for social and psychological support programs among HIV-infected adolescents.
与艾滋病相关的污名影响着预防和治疗的各个方面，但关于感染艾滋病毒的青少年如何受到污名影响的数据有限。污名增加了艾滋病毒感染者出现心理问题的风险，这可能会影响他们获得治疗和社会支持服务。本研究旨在确定尼日利亚卡诺州瓜莱地方政府辖区接受抗逆转录病毒治疗（ART）的青少年中，污名的社会心理因素及其与医疗服务的关系。
2020年1月26日至2月28日，在瓜莱地方政府提供抗逆转录病毒治疗服务的六个医疗机构开展了一项基于机构的横断面调查。采用结构化的访谈式问卷收集数据。在获得知情同意后，对到诊所就诊的抗逆转录病毒治疗患者进行访谈。使用描述性统计方法汇总数据，并使用简单频数表和百分比呈现结果。单因素分析完成后，使用卡方检验在双变量层面分析数据，以确定不同变量之间的关联。
108名患者自愿参与了该研究，其中54名（50%）为男性受访者，54名（50%）为女性受访者。在内化污名项目下，67%因艾滋病失去父亲或母亲的感染艾滋病毒青少年表示，他们觉得自己比其他未感染艾滋病毒的孩子更没有价值。在感知污名项目下，86%因艾滋病失去父亲或母亲的参与者表示，由于担心受到侮辱，在过去十二个月里他们已将自己排除在医疗服务和社会活动之外。在经历污名项目下，62%因艾滋病失去父亲或母亲的参与者表示，在过去十二个月里他们遭到了朋友和同事的回避。
研究表明，因艾滋病失去亲密关系（父亲或母亲）以及与其他艾滋病毒阴性兄弟姐妹受到同等对待，与三种形式的污名（内化污名、感知污名和经历污名）以及获得医疗服务显著相关。感染艾滋病毒的青少年需要社会和心理支持项目。
