A cross-sectional study on stigma among people living with HIV attending anti-retroviral therapy center in Jaya Arogya Group of Hospital, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh

Background: AIDS stigma exists in a variety of ways, including ostracism, rejection, discrimination, and avoidance of HIV-infected people. Some people are rejected by family and community, whereas others face poor treatment in healthcare and educational settings, erosion of their rights, and psychologic damage. All these limit access to HIV testing, treatment, and other HIV services. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional design conducted over a twelve-month period. The study focused on 380 HIV-positive participants within the 25 to 35 years of age. Assessments were performed using a structured questionnaire and the Berger stigma scale to access the overall stigma. Data were analysed using SPSS v27, with p<0.05 considered significant. Results: Out of 380 participants, 135 (35.5%) reported mild levels of stigma, 116 (30.5%) experienced moderate levels, while 129 (34.0%) reported severe stigma. Conclusions: Stigma remains a pervasive and significant challenge for PLHIV. Among the subscales of the Berger stigma scale, public attitude stigma registered the highest mean score (45.62±10.41), indicating that external societal prejudice and misconceptions are more dominant than internalized shame or disclosure concerns.