The Impact of Stigma and Discrimination, on Adherence Levels in HIV-Positive Patients: Evidence from Ondo State Clinics

Target 6A, which sought to stop the transmission of HIV by 2015 and start to reverse it, was one of the Millennium Development Goals’ achievements. The number of AIDS-related fatalities and new HIV infections has decreased by 42% and 40%, respectively, as of 2014. Low risk perception, concurrent sexual relationships, and insufficient access to high-quality healthcare treatments are the primary causes of the infection in Nigeria. The main obstacle impeding the country’s response to the epidemic is HIV stigma and prejudice, which is at the heart of this problem. This study aimed to assess the level of effect that stigma and discrimination has on enrolment status and drug adherence among HIV positive individuals in Ondo State. This study made use of a cross-sectional descriptive design involving 432 HIV patients selected across four facilities in Ondo State. Results showed that there was a high level of adherence to treatment by PLWA, and there is a significant association between stigma, discrimination and adherence. This study concluded that PLWHA show a high level of adherence to treatment due to the low stigma they experienced