Stigma and discrimination toward people living with HIV among healthcare workers in a public hospital in Mexico: A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Introduction: In the global context of the HIV pandemic, the biopsychosocial environment of key populations remains marked by a culture that fosters stigma and discrimination. These attitudes, based on misconceptions of what it means to live with HIV, transcend the healthcare sphere and negatively impact people's quality of life. In Mexico, systematic documentation of this issue within hospital settings remains limited. The objective of this study was to estimate the frequency of HIV-related stigma and discrimination among healthcare personnel of a secondary-level public hospital, as well as to identify differences by job category.

Methods: We conducted an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study from February to March 2025 at a secondary-level public hospital in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico. We applied the short version of the HIV stigma questionnaire proposed by Nyblade et al. A total of 316 healthcare workers from different areas participated. To identify differences in stigmatizing attitudes across professional groups and to explore potential associations between sociodemographic variables and HIV-related beliefs, descriptive statistical analyses were performed, along with non-parametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, and Spearman correlations) and post hoc comparisons using Dunn's test with Bonferroni correction.

Results: A total of 22.5% of participants reported having witnessed refusal to work with people living with HIV, and 30.1% observed lower-quality care toward them. Additionally, 32.9% agreed that people living with HIV are irresponsible, and 30.4% believed they "do not care about spreading the infection." Significant differences in stigma levels were found across occupational categories (p < 0.001). Medical assistants and interns showed higher levels of stigmatizing attitudes, while family physicians, nursing supervisors, and laboratory staff demonstrated greater empathy. Personally knowing someone living with HIV was significantly associated with greater acceptance of the right to become pregnant (p = 0.047).

Conclusions: Stigma toward people living with HIV remains present in hospital environments. There is an urgent need to implement institutional training and awareness programs to reduce discriminatory attitudes and promote respect, accurate information, and empathy among all healthcare staff.