A Qualitative Study of Stigma Experience by Households with People Living With HIV/AIDS in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

Suleiman Mohammed Saeed, Dusadee Ayuwat

HIV/AIDS related stigma remains a major social problem facing households with People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Nigeria in general and Kaduna State in particular. It is observed that stigma attached to HIV/AIDS pandemic makes it difficult for households with PWLHA to manage their members living with the epidemic especially in the areas of diagnosis and treatment as well as obstructs the treatment of the pandemic. Thus, this study examined the stigma experienced by households with PLWHA and the patterns of managing the challenges of HIV/AIDS interrelated stigma. As for the methods, this study was qualitative in nature; accordingly, it employed in-depth interviews to draw information from the 39 key informants as its method while the data obtained were analyzed using content analysis. The findings of this study discovered that households with PLWHA in Kaduna State experience numerous forms of stigma and prejudice together with human rights abuse that is detrimental to the total wellbeing of PLWHA and its households. The findings of the study also revealed that HIV/AIDS can be categorized into internalized, community and social based stigma such as fear, shame, rejection and feelings of frustration. The patterns households with PLWHA adopted to manage the HIV/AIDS related stigma were isolation, nondisclosure, and loss of follow up. This study concludes that households with PLWHA are faced with certain psychosocial strains or tensions and it is essential to intervene to lessen the consequence of HIV/AIDS stigma on households with PLWHA so that they can get the knack to achieve wellness, enhance life span and advance the quality of life. It is also recommended that social attention, social work support, and counselling services be improved upon to mitigate this problem.