Experiences of Stigmatization and Discrimination in Accessing Health Care Services Among People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Background

Recent advances in care and treatment have turned HIV into a "chronic but manageable condition". Despite this, some people living with HIV (PLHIV) continue to suffer from stigma and discrimination in accessing health care services. This study examined the experience of stigma and discrimination and access to health care services among PLHIV in Akwa Ibom State.

Methods

The Center for Clinical Care and Clinical Research (CCCRN), implementing a USAID-funded Integrated Child Health and Social Services Award (ICHSSA 1) project, conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey in 12 randomly selected local government areas in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A structured quantitative questionnaire was used for data collection. In total, 425 randomly selected PLHIV were interviewed after providing informed consent. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were conducted using the data analytical application Stata 14.

Results

The study revealed that 215 PLHIV (50.4%) had been denied access to health care services, including dental care, because of their HIV status in Akwa Ibom State. Respondents reported being afraid of: gossip (78%), being verbally abused (17%), or being physically harassed or assaulted because of their positive status (13%). Self-stigmatization was also evident; respondents reported being ashamed because of their positive HIV status (29%), exhibiting self-guilt (16%), having low self-esteem (38%), and experiencing self-isolation (36%). Women, rural residents, PLHIV with no education, unemployed, single, young people aged between 19 and 29 years, and older adults were more likely to experience HIV-related stigmatization.

Conclusion

Data from the study revealed that the percentage of PLHIV who experience health-related stigmatization because of their HIV status is high in Akwa Ibom State. This finding calls for the prioritization of interventions to reduce stigma, enhance self-esteem, and promote empathy and compassion for PLHIV. It also highlights the need for HIV education for family and community members and health care providers, to enhance the knowledge of HIV and improve acceptance of PLHIV within families, communities, and health care settings.

Adolescence and the risk of ART non-adherence during a geographically focused public health intervention: an analysis of clinic records from Nigeria

The risk of poor antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among adolescents is a challenge to controlling HIV. This study aims to provide guidance for geographically focussed public health interventions to improve adherence. Through clinic records, it investigates adolescents' non-adherence risk and clinic-level differences in regions of Nigeria which were part of PEPFAR's geographical pivot. Records (n = 26,365) were selected using systematic random sampling from all PEPFAR-supported facilities (n = 175) in targeted Local Government Areas across three regions in Nigeria. Adolescents' risk of non-adherence was estimated using region-specific random-effects models accounting for clinic-level variation. These were adjusted for sex, whether a patient had to travel to a different region, clinic location (urban/rural), clinic type (primary, secondary, tertiary). Despite regional variations, adolescents were at higher risk of non-adherence compared to adults. A similar, but weaker, association was found for children. Patients attending tertiary facilities for ART in the South-South region exhibited very high risk of non-adherence. Adolescents and children are at an increased risk of poor ART adherence in rural regions of Nigeria. Regional differences and facility type are critical factors. Future public health programmes focused on the risk of poor adherence targeting "high-prevalence areas" should be sensitive to contextual differences and age-appropriate care.