Assessment of Knowledge, Perception and Attitude of People Living With HIV/AIDS toward HIV/AIDS in Maiduguri, Northeast-Nigeria

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, perceptions and attitude of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) toward some important HIV/AIDS issues in University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, a tertiary health facility in Northeast Nigeria. A structured self administered questionnaire was used as instrument. Itconsisted of both closed and open ended questions and was used to assess demographic information of PLWHA, mode of information of HIV status, knowledge of HIV transmission, practices and perception toward HIV/AIDS and HIV-related stigma and discrimination by health care workers,family members and acquaintances. Findings show that most of therespondents (50%) were within the age group of 15-34 years. Majority (55%) knew their HIV status through voluntary HIV counseling and testing while in some (36%) when they took ill. About 78%have a good knowledge of the cause of HIV/AIDS as well as its routes of transmission (90%), but some (35%) believed that HIV/AIDS is a punishment from God. About 59% and 62% respectively believe that kissing and sharing of cutlery can transmit HIV. Results also revealed that almost 80% of the respondents have likeness for condom use during sex as against 39% who indicated that they sometimes have unprotected sex despite being aware of their own HIV status. Concerning sharing information about their status with their partners, about 42% of them are yet to make the disclosure. When asked about positive living, 63% responded in affirmative but 21% sometimes feel like passing the infection to others. A few PLWHA (≤10%) indicated experiencing denied treatment, hospital admission and breach of confidentiality stigma and discrimination among healthcare workers, while 21% feel dejected due to rejection by family members and friends. Counseling effort need to be intensified to inculcate positive attitude and practices in PLWHA and to guard them against spreading the disease. Enactment of stigma and discrimination laws will go a long way to curtail issues of stigma and discrimination in the community and health institution.