Stigmatization and discrimination of people living with HIV in the Czech Republic: a pilot study

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F75010330%3A_____%2F23%3A00014403" target="_blank" >RIV/75010330:_____/23:00014403 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/60162694:G44__/24:00563192 RIV/00216208:11120/23:43926150

Result on the web

<a href="https://cejph.szu.cz/artkey/cjp-202303-0009_stigmatization-and-discrimination-of-people-living-with-hiv-in-the-czech-republic-a-pilot-study.php" target="_blank" >https://cejph.szu.cz/artkey/cjp-202303-0009_stigmatization-and-discrimination-of-people-living-with-hiv-in-the-czech-republic-a-pilot-study.php</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.21101/cejph.a7782" target="_blank" >10.21101/cejph.a7782</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Stigmatization and discrimination of people living with HIV in the Czech Republic: a pilot study

Original language description

Objectives: HIV positivity diagnosis is often accompanied by stigmatization and discrimination, even in developed societies. The aim of the study was to obtain current information on the quality of life of people living with HIV in the Czech Republic, to assess the level and perception of stigmatization and discrimination, and to identify existing problems of people living with HIV concerning health services, family and the public.Methods: Data for the pilot study were collected by convenience sampling between 2021 and 2022. Respondents were recruited from residents of Czech nationality and foreigners living with HIV in the Czech Republic who participated in an ECDC online questionnaire study or attended a convalescent stay for people living with HIV. Likert scales were used to capture key opinions, attitudes and beliefs of respondents. Data were processed using descriptive analysis.Results: The study involved 42 people living with HIV. A total of 77% of the respondents reported that they had learned to live with their HIV-positive status, but 21% admitted to having low self-esteem due to their status. A total of 81% of the respondents had disclosed their HIV-positive status to someone outside of the healthcare setting, however, 40% of the respondents found it difficult to do so. Assault or threats from a sexual partner were reported by 17% of the respondents. A total of 27% of the respondents admitted having been denied or suspended health care, 44% reported inappropriate comments from healthcare workers, and 32% of the respondents avoided visiting the healthcare facility. Alarmingly, 41% of the respondents had been refused dental care at some point in the past because of their HIV-positive status.Conclusions: Although the study presents only limited findings due to the small number of respondents, it is clear that stigmatization and discrimination of people living with HIV exists in the Czech society. It brings the risk of loss of motivation and involvement of people living with HIV in working together with healthcare providers on their treatment. There is a clear need for a larger study to identify the causes of stigmatization and to find ways to prevent it.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

30304 - Public and environmental health

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2023

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Central European Journal of Public Health

ISSN

1210-7778

e-ISSN

1803-1048

Volume of the periodical

31

Issue of the periodical within the volume

3

Country of publishing house

CZ - CZECH REPUBLIC

Number of pages

7

Pages from-to

210-216

UT code for WoS article

001105918100004

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85176495480