HIV/AIDS-related stigma in Kumasi, Ghana.
OBJECTIVE
To assess HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Kumasi, Ghana.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey of 104 adults from the four sub-districts in Kumasi was conducted.


RESULTS
Four stigma constructs, employment-based discrimination, screening and identification of HIV positive people, revelation of HIV status and social contact stigma were determined based on reliability measures from responses to the questionnaire. Regression analysis showed that participants with higher educational attainment were more likely to favor policies denying employment to PLWHA (p<0.05), but disapproved of revealing HIV sero-status (p<0.05). Muslims were more likely than Christians to agree with identifying PLWHA (p<0.05) and more likely to advocate revealing HIV sero-status (p<0.05). Males were more likely to favor revealing HIV status (p<0.05). Employed persons were more likely to have social contact with PLWHA (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings are useful in guiding the design of interventions against HIV/AIDS-related stigma in Kumasi.
Ulasi
Chijioke I
CI
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
Preko
Peter O
PO
Baidoo
Joseph A
JA
Bayard
Budry
B
Ehiri
John E
JE
Jolly
Curtis M
CM
Jolly
Pauline E
PE
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D015658:HIV Infections; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013240:Stereotyping