Psychosocial Perspectives of Stigmatization and Discrimination of Persons Living With HIV and AIDS: The Case of Winneba Municipal Hospital (Published)
The study explored the psychosocial perspectives of stigmatization and discrimination of Persons Living with HIV (PLWHA) in the Effutu Municipality with Winneba Municipal Hospital in focus. The research design employed was the descriptive survey using the explanatory mixed method approach which utilized questionnaire and interview as the research instruments for data collection. Two (2) research questions and two (2) hypotheses guided the study. Fifty-three (53) participants comprising fifty-one (51) PLWHA and two (2) HIV counsellors were sampled using the convenience, purposive, and snowball sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using inferential statistics (t-test & regression) to test the hypotheses while the qualitative data were analysed thematically with verbatim quotations from participants to support issues as they emerged. The study revealed that stigmatization and discrimination against PLWHA are not significant even though there was evidence of their existence in the areas of employment and workplace, community contexts, family contexts, and access to healthcare. It was, therefore recommended that the local authorities together with the District Ghana AIDS Commission should strengthen the awareness creation on the need for harmonious living with PLWHA in the community and the District Ministry of Health should employ more health personnel to engage in follow up services to PLWHA patients.
Keywords: Discrimination, HIV/AIDS, Psychosocial, Stigmatization
Social Marketing Campaign as a Tool for Reducing Financial Cost of HIV/AIDS Pandemic in Nigeria (Published)
In this study the impact of social marketing campaign as a tool for reducing the financial costs of HIV/AIDS on people in Nigeria is explored. This was motivated by the excruciating financial, social ostracization and psychological burdens of stigmatization (costs), people living with HIV (PLIs) and their families are saddled with in the country. The study objectives were to: ascertain the effect of social marketing campaign messages of abstinence for reducing the financial costs of HIV/AIDS on people in Nigeria; determine the impact of social marketing campaign tools of counselling for reducing the social ostracization of people living with HIV (PLIs) by their families in Nigeria; and assess the effect of social marketing campaign tools of Africa traditional media (oramedia) for reducing the stigmatization of people living with HIV (PLIs) in Nigeria. The area of study was three big cities in Nigeria: Calabar, PortHarcourt and Enugu, reputed as having very high students and youths’ population, considered as endemic group. A sample size of 300 was purposively determined and proportionately allocated to the 3 cluster cities. The instrument for data collection was structured questionnaire in Likert’s 4-points scale, which was also used in analysing the data. Results obtained indicate that: Social marketing campaign messages of abstinence was significantly effective for reducing the financial costs of HIV/AIDS on people in Nigeria; social marketing campaign tool of counselling was significantly effective for reducing the social ostracization of people living with HIV (PLIs) by their families in Nigeria; social marketing campaign tools of Africa traditional media (oramedia) were significantly effective for reducing the stigmatization of people living with HIV (PLIs) in Nigeria. Based on these results, governmental agencies, health marketers and behaviour-change agents in the country were advised to emphasize the use of these tools in other to reduce the costs of the HIV/AIDS burdens on the PLIs.
Keywords: Abstinence, Financial Costs, HIV/AIDS, Social Marketing, Stigmatization
Belief in Spiritual Healing, Gender and Adherence to Medication among HIV/AIDS Patients in Benue State, Nigeria (Published)
This study examined belief about spiritual healing, gender and adherence to medication among 143 HIV/AIDS patients attending General Hospital Sankera in Benue State. The respondents were in the age range of 20-67 with a mean age of 33.4 years. Out of this number, 69 (48.3%) were males while 74 (51.7%) were females. Morisky Adherence to Medication Scale (MAMS) and Perceived Potency of Spiritual Healing Questionnaire (PPSHQ) were used for data collection. The results of the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) indicated that perceived potency of spiritual healing and gender produced main effects on adherence to medication among HIV/AIDS patients. The implications of the study to health professionals were discussed, limitations were highlighted and suggestions for further studies were offered.
Keywords: Adherence, Gender, HIV/AIDS, Spiritual Healing
Nigeria: Can Cross River State Achieve The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) In The Health Sector By 2015? (Published)
The paper reviews outcomes of efforts made by the Cross River State Government towards the achievement of MDGs in the health sub-sector in Nigeria. Using descriptive statistics and comparative analysis to illustrate deviations from set targets the paper reveals that, in spite of the robust effort of government, achieving the MDGs in the health sub-sector in Cross River State by 2015 will be very challenging, partly due to inadequate responses to bring about the required decrease in the burden of malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS in the State. To bridge the observed gap, the paper recommends rehabilitation of health facilities and provision of equipment and personnel in existing health facilities; increased budget provision for health care services; building strong and robust partnership with support agencies and other sector actors; development of effective health sector policy in the State, as possible quick wins.
Keywords: HIV/AIDS, MDGs, Malaria, Tuberculosis