Public Stigma to People Living with HIV/AIDS

Grobogan District is a district with a sharp increasing of HIV/AIDS case compared to other districts over Central Java. This study aimed to identify public stigma to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and influencing factors. This explanatory study was conducted using cross sectional design worth 300 family head samples selected by using proportional random sampling on three subdistricts with highest HIV case within August - September 2014. Data collecting was conducted through face-to-face interview using structured questionnaire. Meanwhile, data analysis was conducted in uni-variate, bivariate using chi square and multivariate using logistic regression. Most respondents were men whose education level was mostly high school to the bottom level. Half of respondents were still stigmatizing PLWHA. Respondents whose families stigmatized had possibility of stigmatizing four times bigger than respondents whose families did not. Similarly, respondents holding negative perceptions toward PLWHA had possibility of stigmatizing twice bigger than those holding positive perceptions. Attitude of neighbors and public figures toward PLWHAalso significantly related to respondent's stigma to PLWHA. To sum up, family attitude and respondent's perception to PLWHA were influencing factors of emerging stigma toward PLWHA. Therefore, it suggested that providing families and public any complete information about HIV/AIDS may decrease or remove the stigma.