Stigmatization, stress and perceived social support among people living with HIV/AIDS.

Abstract

The study was carried out to investigate whether there is a significant relationship between Stigmatization, stress and perceived social support among HIV/AIDS patients. The specific objective of the study was to examine the significant relationship between Stigmatization, stress and perceived social support among HIV patients. The study was expected to have 100 respondents who were randomly selected from Nakavule Main Hospital Iganga. Self-administered questionnaires were used in data collection process. The data was then analyzed using the Statistical software package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Pearson's product moment correlation co-efficient was used to determine the significance of the relationship among the variable. The findings showed that there is a significant relationship between Stigmatization and stress among HIV patients. (r= .3310 p=. 041). Furthermore, the findings concluded that there is a significant relationship between Stigmatization and perceived social support among HIV patients (r=.5576 p=0.004), There was a significant relationship between perceived social support and Stress among HIV patients (r=.8159 p= .020). But it was recommended that the government, Civil Society Organizations, policy makers need to provide sensitization programs to the community about HIV/ AIDS that address the causes of stigmatization and stress among HIV patients while promoting awareness about perceived social support among HIV patients and how to deal with the different HIV- related challenges.