Factors Associated with Negative Attitudes towards Albinism and People with Albinism: A Case of Households Living with Persons with Albinism in Lake Zone, Tanzania

Abstract

Assessment on factors associated with negative attitudes towards people with Albinism was conducted in northern part of Tanzania specifically in regions where higher incidences of albinos' killings were recently observed. A total of 156 respondents from households living with persons with albinism were involved in this study. Qualitative responses describing attitudes on albinism and people with albinism were transformed into numerical values (using a five points Likert Scales) to allow statistical computation. Measures of association and effect between several independent variables and the dependent variable were done using multiple linear regression analysis. Higher proportion of those interviewed (80%) had negative attitudes towards albinism and people with albinism (PWA). In this study, education level determined attitudes of respondents whereby unfavorable attitudes were highly associated with education level and occupation of respondents (p < 0.001). Relationships between education, attitudes and awareness on albinism confirm the liberalizing effect of education on attitudes and general awareness. Widening the understanding on albinism will help on abandoning cultural beliefs related to albinism and its cause.