Attitudes and Behaviors of Healthcare Professionals toward HIV Positive Patients in a Tertiary Hospital

Abstract

Background: In reality, fear of being infected at work has led to stigmatization and discriminatory treatment of HIV/AIDS patients. The consequence of such negative attitude is poor management of people with HIV/AIDS who need most care, treatment, and support. Aim: To evaluate attitudes and behaviors of healthcare professionals toward HIV/AIDS patients in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria. 250 healthcare professionals were selected randomly, Participants completed a well-structured, self-administered questionnaire delivered to them at their workplace. Data obtained from the questionnaire was analyzed using SPSS software version 9. Results: A total of 250 healthcare professionals participated in the study, 148(59.2%) were males and 102 (40.8%) were females. 153(61.2%) of them had been working between 0- 10 years with prevalence age group 30-40 years. Majority of Healthcare professionals (HCPs) in this study demonstrated positive attitude and behaviour toward HIV/AIDS patients. However, minority of HCPs had negative attitudes toward HIV/AIDS patients by agreed to the statements that HCPs should not share office with HIV patients, beds of HIV patients should be marked and HCPs should allow relation to marry HIV patients. Conclusion: Healthcare professionals should have access to up-to-date information on all aspects of HIV/AIDS through effective training on the modes of HIV transmission, prevention, counselling, guidelines for safe practice and the rights of PLWHIV, this would reduce discriminatory attitudes towards PLWHIV and also improve patients' care and access to quality healthcare services.