RESEARCH ARTICLE


Stigmatising Attitudes Towards Co-workers with HIV in the Workplace of a Metropolitan State, Southwestern Nigeria



Idongesit Godwin Utuk2, Kayode Omoniyi Osungbade2, Taiwo Akinyode Obembe2, *, David Ayobami Adewole2, Victoria Oluwabunmi Oladoyin1
1 Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
2 Department of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria


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Creative Commons License
© 2017 Oladoyin et al.

open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.


IGU and KOO conceptualized the study, drafted the study protocol. IGU supervised the data collection. DAA conducted the literature search. VOO carried out the data analysis and wrote the initial draft manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.* Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Tel: +234-805-840-9495; E-mail: tobems@yahoo.com


Abstract

Background:

Despite demonstrating global concerns about infection in the workplace, very little research has explored how co-workers react to those living with HIV in the workplace in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to assess the level of stigmatising attitude towards co-workers living with HIV in the workplace.

Methods:

The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey involving 403 respondents. They were recruited from selected companies through a multistage sampling technique. Survey was carried out using pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences to generate frequencies, cross tabulations of variables at 5% level of significance. Logistic regression model was used to determine the predictors at 95% confidence intervals.

Results:

Mean age of respondents was 32.9 ± 9.4 years with 86.1% being females. Overall, slightly below two-third (63.0%) had good knowledge on transmission of HIV/AIDS while 218 (54.1%) respondents had a high stigmatising attitude towards co-workers with HIV in the workplace. More female respondents (69.6%) demonstrated high stigmatising attitudes towards co-workers with HIV in the workplace (p = 0.012). Female workers were twice more likely to have high stigmatising attitudes towards co-worker with HIV [OR 2.1 (95% CI: 1.13 – 3.83)].

Conclusion:

Stigma towards people living with HIV/AIDs is still very persistent in different settings. Good knowledge amongst our participants about HIV/AIDs did not translate to low stigmatising attitudes among workers. Concerted efforts and trainings on the transmission of HIV/AIDs are essential to reduce stigma that is still very prevalent in workplace settings.

Keywords: HIV/AIDs, Workplace, Stigma, Knowledge, Attitude, Transmission.