title: Stigmatization and Discrimination toward People Living with HIV/AIDS in a Coastal City of South India.
abstract: The HIV/AIDS scenario all over the world is complicated by the stigmatic and discriminative attitudes toward the HIV-infected individuals.
  
  
  
  In this facility-based, cross-sectional study, 104 HIV-positive patients were assessed regarding their personal experience with HIV-related stigma and discrimination using a Revised HIV Stigma Scale. The association between stigma and factors such as socioeconomic status and gender was tested using chi-square test, and P < .05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  
  A large proportion (41.3%) of the participants were in the age-group of 26 to 35 years. Confidentiality of the HIV positivity status was maintained only in 14.4% of the participants. Compared to females (48.2%), more than half (51.5%) of the male participants had experienced HIV/AIDS-related personalized stigma ( P > .05).
  
  
  
  HIV-related stigma and discrimination are the major social determinants driving the epidemic, despite the advances in medical treatment and increases in the awareness about the disease.
authors: 1 Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University), Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors: Nithin
authors: N
authors: Kumar
authors: 1 Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University), Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors: Bhaskaran
authors: B
authors: Unnikrishnan
authors: 1 Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University), Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors: Rekha
authors: R
authors: Thapar
authors: 1 Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University), Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors: Prasanna
authors: P
authors: Mithra
authors: 1 Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University), Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors: Vaman
authors: V
authors: Kulkarni
authors: 1 Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University), Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors: Ramesh
authors: R
authors: Holla
authors: 1 Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University), Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors: Darshan
authors: D
authors: Bhagawan
authors: 1 Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University), Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors: Avinash
authors: A
authors: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011287:Prejudice; D057545:Social Stigma; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV/AIDS; South India; discrimination; health care; stigma