Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Stigma among General Population in Isfahan Metropolis in Central Iran

Background: This study was aimed to evaluate stigma-related to HIV infection among the general population in Isfahan as a representative of Iran. Methods: In order to conduct the cross-sectional study, 800 people with an age range of 18-73 years from 14 municipal regions of Isfahan were selected based on a multistage sampling. A standard questionnaire was used to evaluate HIV stigma in the general population in December 2017. Results: The mean score (SD) of stigma toward PLHIV was 45.49 (9.17) out of 90. The prevalence of stigmatized attitudes was 18.97% among participants. Stigma's score was correlated with the score of HIV knowledge, gender, and age. Conclusion: The level of stigmatized attitude toward PLHIV was low among the general population in Isfahan. Given that there is still a stigma toward PLHIV in Isfahan as the representative of Iranian population, it is recommended to implement the population-based educational programs for decreasing HIV stigma.