Knowledge, Stigma, And Human Rights: Assessing ART Service Experiences Of HIV Positive Individuals In Ondo State

Background: One of the Millennium Development Goals' accomplishments was objective 6A, which intended to prevent and reverse the spread of HIV by 2015. As of 2014, the number of new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have decreased by 40% and 42%, respectively. The main causes of infection in Nigeria are poor risk perception, concurrent sexual engagements, and insufficient access to appropriate healthcare services. At the heart of this is the difficulty of HIV stigma and prejudice, which are a fundamental barrier impeding the national response to the epidemic. This study aims to assess the knowledge of ART services and the level of stigma and discrimination and human right violation experiences among HIV positive individuals enrolled in ART clinics in Ondo State. Materials and Methods: This study made use of a cross sectional descriptive design involving 432 HIV patients who attending four ART clinics in Ondo State. Results: Results showed that knowledge on HIV and ART services was high as more than two third 400 (93%) knew about unprotected sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, and mother to child transmission. Stigmatization was also prevalent but there was no association between knowledge and stigmatization. Conclusion: This study concluded that PLWHA suffer from the burden of HIV-related stigma at a lower level. Robust intervention is needed in the implementation of stigma reduction programs as well as dissemination of information and empowerment