Stigmas and Discrimination by Nurse Towards Patient with HIV/AIDS: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The high numbers of HIV / AIDS cases in Bandung cause the necessity to optimize the quality of health services as a form of HIV / AIDS treatment and prevention. It is assumed that stigma and discrimination toward patients with HIV / AIDS among nurses affect the health care process to patients with HIV / AIDS. This study was aimed to identify the stigma and discrimination of nurses toward HIV / AIDS patients. This study used a qualitative method with a phenomenology approach. Participants were selected with purposive sampling as many as 3 participants aged 35 to 41 years. Data was collected by doing comprehensive interviews. The result of this study showed that there were three themes, they are, the nurses' knowledge about HIV / AIDS disease, the nurses' perception related to the risky behavior causing of infected HIV / AIDS, and the discrimination among nurses towards patient with HIV / AIDS. Based on the result of this study, it can be concluded that stigma and discrimination among nurses towards HIV / AIDS patients can be prevented by having decent knowledge and long-working experience. The good perception and fair behavior to the HIV/AIDS patients can reduce the stigma and discrimination to HIV / AIDS patients and improve the life quality of HIV / AIDS patients and develop the utilization of health services by the society