Assessment of stigmatization and discrimination of HIV-infected persons in professional medical education institutions

Abstract

The aim of the study: Finding out the attitude of the respondents to HIV-infected/ AIDS patients, their awareness of the ways of HIV infection. Methods: A survey of teachers and students of Kyiv City Medical College was conducted (educational institution of 1-2 levels of accreditation). The total number of students, who participated in the study, was 150 people aged 17 to 25 years. The survey involved 62 teachers aged 30 to 65 years. In order to find out the level of stigmatization of people living with HIV, a questionnaire has been developed that contains questions, related to various aspects of HIV infection and the lives of HIV-infected people. Results: The study showed a high willingness to stigmatize and discriminate against people living with HIV/ AIDS by teachers and medical school workers. The problem of reasonable stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV is the low level of knowledge about the epidemic. This is especially true for work. A tolerant attitude towards HIV-infected people from work and lectures at medical college is directly related to the awareness of these problems. The high level of stigma and discrimination against HIV-infected students and teachers in medical schools is reflected in the willingness to refuse medical care to people living with HIV. The state's information policy in the field of combating stigma and discrimination against HIV-infected people is imperfect and insufficient. Сonclusions: The study shows the imperfection of the existing system of medical education in the field of upbringing of tolerant attitude to vulnerable groups, in particular to HIV-infected. In this area, the existing system of medical education needs to be improved and modernized. The aggravation of the problem of stigmatization and discrimination of HIV-infected people, the ineffectiveness of outdated methods requires the search for new approaches to its solution.