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HIV stigma and discrimination: a project proposal

   

Added on  2020-03-16

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IntroductionThis report discusses HIV stigma and discrimination as the subject title of the projectproposal. The report is a project proposal that aims at investigating ways in whichHIV stigma and discrimination can be minimized among the people with HIV andtheir loved ones. Stigma and discrimination based on HIV are almost as old as thevirus. This is because, stigma and discrimination against people living with HIVbegan immediately after the virus was discovered in the late 80s and scientists labeledit as a sexually transmitted disease (Morisky, 2016). Unfortunately, despite the advancements that have been made in research tounderstand the way of transmission, to develop adequate drugs and to reduce theeffects that the virus has in the human body, very little has been achieved in helpingto reduce stigma and bring to end discrimination against people living with HIV.People in the society are yet to understand that HIV is a disease like any other andanyone can be a victim irrespective of their gender, race, and their status in thesociety. Discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS leads to poor qualityhealth care for the patients. It also scares away patients from seeking treatment or helpfrom close family members due to the fear of getting discriminated against. HIVtreatment programs are becoming increasingly affordable and available in poorcountries. For the programs and the funds invested in this program and medication, itis important that the people in charge of the health facilities and the society in generalrespect the rights of HIV positive patients (Ullah & Huque, n.d). The research proposal is designed to fill the gap identified in dealing withdiscrimination and stigmatization related to HIV/AIDS. The report also contains anin-depth literature review that is carried out thoroughly using seven secondary sourcesof information as indicated in the body of the report. The research methodology usedin this research is a combination of qualitative research method and quantitativemethod. This is to fulfill the objectives of the research as required.Statement of the problemThe HIV/AIDS is an epidemic in Kenya and it has resulted in the loss of many livesover the years. The loss of these life results in loss of livelihoods for many children,

men and women. Their close relatives are left as orphans, widows, and widowers.Apart from the physical suffering that the HIV patients undergo, there is a lot ofstigmatization and discrimination against people living with the HIV virus. This hasentered with the spirited fight against this epidemic since stigmatization anddiscrimination resulting from the HIV virus has discouraged many people from goingfor testing and seeking medical help. The fear of discrimination has made manypeople fail to disclose their true HIV status and this has resulted in increasedtransmission and hence eroding the efforts that had been made in the past against theHIV epidemic (Jonas & Morton, 2012). This study seeks to establish ways in whichstigmatization and discrimination resulting from the HIV virus can be reduced.Research questions1.What are the effects of HIV/AIDS stigma on the patient and their families?2.What are the factors that bring about stigma and discrimination for the peopleliving with HIV?3.How can stigma and discrimination for HIV patient be reduced?4.How can access to treatment and care for HIV patients be improved, especially inresource poor countries?AimThe aim of this study is to investigate the factors that bring about discrimination andstigma against the people living with HIV virus in Kenya. This helps to evaluate thesteps and actions which need to be taken to reduce discrimination and stigma againstthe people living with HIV/AIDS.ObjectivesThis study is conducted with a variety of objectives. These objectives have beendefined by a review of the subject and personal experience where I have identified theneed to fill a gap in research on stigma and discrimination against people living withHIV. The research objectives will be a guide to the researcher throughout the research

exercise since they will be used as the benchmark upon which the data is collected,and the analysis is done. The following are the research objectives of this study:-To identify the factors that lead to discrimination and stigma against thepeople living with HIV-To investigate the level of knowledge that patients have about HIV and howthey should live to prolong life to almost normal.-To investigate how and to what extend Kenya has been able to achieve thestigmatization and discrimination goals of minimizing HIV stigma anddiscrimination and promoting an inclusive society.-To investigate whether gender is a basis of discrimination for people livingwith HIV-To examine the role that the Government and the society in general can playreducing stigma and discrimination against the people living with HIV.Justification of the studyStigma and discrimination are among the biggest barriers to prevention, treatment,and care for HIV. Previous research has indicated that stigma and discriminationundermine HIV prevention efforts since it makes people fear seeking informationabout the disease. Fear to seek information on testing and medication has resulted inmany people opting against visiting health centers to seek advice and undergo an HIVtest. The previous researches have linked the fear of stigma and discrimination to thefear of violence and discouragement as well as isolation from family members. Thefear of isolation by sexual partners if a person is diagnosed with the disease has led tomany people being discouraged from seeking medical attention and this has made itdifficult to counter the spread of the disease and to treat the patients (Nginya, 2016). HIV is an infection that is feared by many people, especially in Africa. This isbecause people have limited knowledge about HIV and it has become difficult tomake people understand the disease. People usually see an HIV positive person andthey see a person who is dying or a person who is not fit to interact with others freelysince they have the fear of contracting the disease. The society has many myths andbelieves about the HIV virus and it has been difficult to make people aware of the

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