Perception of Patients With HIV/AIDS From Stigma and Discrimination

BACKGROUND: Stigma and discrimination among patients with HIV/AIDS cause various problems for the patients and their health systems. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explain the perceived experiences of the patients from stigma and discrimination and their roles on health-seeking services among patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a qualitative research using content analysis approach and semi-structured interviews, conducted on patients living with HIV/ADS, during 2013 - 2014 in Iran. Sampling started purposefully and continued in a snowball. RESULTS: The experiences of patients with HIV/AIDS from stigma and discrimination led to exploring three main themes and nine subthemes. The main themes were multidimensional stigma, rejection, and insult and discrimination in receiving health services. CONCLUSIONS: Stigma and discrimination play an important role in patients' lives and hinder them from accessing the treatment. The patients' responses to this event by secrecy strategy can be an important factor in the disease prevalence.