Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) stigma among general population in Isfahan metropolis in Central Iran

Abstract

Background: This study was aimed to evaluate stigma-related to HIV infection among the general population in Isfahan as a representative of Iran. Methods: In order to conduct the cross-sectional study, 800 people with an age range of 18-73 years from 14 municipal regions of Isfahan were selected based on a multistage sampling. A standard questionnaire was used to evaluate HIV stigma in the general population in December 2017. Results: The mean score (SD) of stigma toward PLHIV was 45.49 (9.17) out of 90. The prevalence of stigmatized attitudes was 18.97 among participants. Stigma's score was correlated with the score of HIV knowledge, gender, and age. Conclusion: The level of stigmatized attitude toward PLHIV was low among the general population in Isfahan. Given that there is still a stigma toward PLHIV in Isfahan as the representative of Iranian population, it is recommended to implement the population-based educational programs for decreasing HIV stigma.