Document Type
Brief
Publication Date
2006
Abstract
People living with HIV (PLHIV) in India face stigma and discrimination in a variety of contexts. Stigma and discrimination against HIV-positive people is common in hospitals and acts as a barrier to seeking and receiving critical treatment and care services. Three New Delhi hospitals, SHARAN, and the Horizons Program collaborated on an operations research project to assess responses to hospital-based stigma and discrimination against PLHIV. A baseline survey to measure HIV/AIDS-related attitudes, knowledge, and practices was conducted in 2000 with a random sample of 884 health workers from four departments: medicine, STD and skin, obstetrics and gynecology, and surgery. Based on this assessment, hospital managers and senior representatives of doctors, nurses, and ward staff developed action plans to improve the situation. As noted in this research summary, hospital managers who used a checklist to assess their facilities’ policies and practices took action to improve staff safety and reduce AIDS-related stigma. Findings suggest that the actions taken, including education, training, policy formulation, and involvement of AIDS NGOs, contributed to improved knowledge, attitudes, and practices among health workers.
Recommended Citation
Mahendra, Vaishali Sharma, Laelia Gilborn, Bitra George, Luke Samson, Rupa Mudoi, Sarita Jadav, Indrani Gupta, Shalini Bharat, and Celine Daly. 2006. "Reducing stigma and discrimination in hospitals: Positive findings from India," Horizons Research Summary. Washington, DC: Population Council.
DOI
10.31899/hiv13.1005
Language
English
Project
Horizons Program
Included in
Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, International Public Health Commons