I am HIV-positive, but I am a human being: qualitative study on experiences of stigma in health care centres in the Islamic Republic of Iran

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dc.coverageCairo
dc.creatorNasrin Abedinia
dc.creatorMehrnaz Rasoolinajad
dc.creatorAhmad Noorbala
dc.creatorBanfsheh Moradmand Badie
dc.date2026-04-22T12:08:07Z
dc.date2026-04-22T12:08:07Z
dc.date2019-10-29
dc.date.accessioned2026-08-03T15:25:56Z
dc.descriptionBackground: People living with HIV can have many health problems and may face difficulties when seeking health care because of stigma and the inappropriate behaviour of health care staff. Aims: This study aimed to assess the problems people living with HIV face when seeking health care in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with 10 people living with HIV who were members of the positive fellowship club of the Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Participation was voluntary. Using a focus group discussion, the participants talked about the problems they faced when seeking health care in different health departments and clinics. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Results: The participants faced many problems in all health departments and clinics when seeking health care. The most important problems were: 1) refusal of treatment in outpatient, medical and surgical departments; 2) inappropriate behaviour of consultants and medical staff; and 3)insufficient knowledge of medical staff about HIV and how it is transmitted. Conclusions: Providing medical and health care staff with more information on HIV and its transmission, training them on proper treatment and management of patients with HIV, and providing free treatment packages and medical services for people living with HIV may help reduce the stigma and problems HIV patients face when seeking health care, and improve the care they receive
dc.description669
dc.description676
dc.formatapplication/pdf
dc.identifier1020-3397
dc.identifier1687-1634 (Online)
dc.identifierhttps://iris.who.int/handle/10665/385348
dc.identifierhttps://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.19.012
dc.identifier.urihttps://repo.dare.co.zw/handle/123456789/273682
dc.languageEnglish
dc.languageen
dc.publisherWorld Health Organization. Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean
dc.relationEastern Mediterranean Health Journal
dc.relation10
dc.relation25
dc.rightsCC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
dc.rightshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo
dc.rightsWorld Health Organization
dc.subjectHIV Infections
dc.subjectHealth Education
dc.subjectSocial Stigma
dc.subjectDelivery of Health Care
dc.subjectHealth Services
dc.subjectIran
dc.subjectprevention and control
dc.titleI am HIV-positive, but I am a human being: qualitative study on experiences of stigma in health care centres in the Islamic Republic of Iran
dc.typeJournal articles

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