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A cross-sectional Study of attitude of Attendants accompanying HIV positive persons at Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre of a tertiary care Hospital in Punjab, India

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Author Affiliations

  • 1Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, INDIA
  • 2 Research and Medical Education, Punjab, INDIA
  • 3 Govt. Medical College, Amritsar, INDIA

Int. Res. J. Medical Sci., Volume 2, Issue (1), Pages 11-14, January,28 (2014)

Abstract

Negative attitudes towards HIV positive persons are an obstacle in utilisation of diagnostic and treatment facilities for HIV/AIDS. Attitude and beliefs of family members and friends of HIV positive persons are important because they play role in providing care and psycho- social support to them. Objective: To study the attitude of attendants accompanying HIV positive persons towards their HIV positive status. The present study was a cross sectional study carried out at Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC), Govt. Medical College, Amritsar from 1st Jan’09 to 31st Dec’09. The attendants accompanying the persons who came to collect their positive reports were interviewed by the authors. Almost three forth of subjects were spouses or other family members of HIV positive persons. 91.7% were willing to disclose the HIV positive status of the patient. Almost half of the respondents i.e. 157(54.5%) were not in favour of marriage of HIV positive person. Regarding precautions to be taken while staying with HIV positive person, 139 (48.3%) said that they would avoid contact with blood and body secretions of HIV positive person while 114 (39.6%) said they won’t take any precautions and 35 (12.2%) said they would use separate utensils, cloths etc. A majority 225(78.1%) attendants were willing to have a cordial relation with HIV positive persons without any discrimination while 13 (4.5%) were not willing to provide support to HIV positive persons Family is most important in providing support to HIV positive persons. Although negative attitudes for HIV positive persons were less common but discrimination and misconceptions about HIV were still found to be prevalent.

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