A cross-sectional survey to assess the risk factors associated with stigmatizing attitudes towards patients with podoconiosis among rural youth in southern Ethiopia.
Ethiopia
gene–environment
podoconiosis
risk factors
stigmatizing attitudes
youth
Journal
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
ISSN: 1878-3503
Titre abrégé: Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg
Pays: England
ID NLM: 7506129
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
16 12 2020
16 12 2020
Historique:
received:
21
05
2020
revised:
31
07
2020
accepted:
27
08
2020
pubmed:
11
11
2020
medline:
25
6
2021
entrez:
10
11
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Many health conditions are associated with stigma due to beliefs about their causes and the physical changes experienced by patients. Among such conditions are several neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Podoconiosis, classified as an NTD, is a form of lymphoedema caused by the co-influence of genetic and environmental factors. It is a major public health problem in Ethiopia and is associated with intense stigma. Despite this, little is known about the factors contributing to stigmatizing attitudes against patients with the disease. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in southern Ethiopia to analyse the attitudes of rural youth and associated risk factors for stigmatizing attitudes towards patients with podoconiosis, with the aim of informing stigma reduction strategies. The survey included 336 randomly selected youth. Of the 177 (52.7%) youth who held more stigmatizing attitudes toward patients with podoconiosis, 105 (59.3%) were females and 171 (96.6%) did not have affected friends. Accurate knowledge about gene-environment influences and rejection of infectious causes of podoconiosis were associated with less stigmatizing attitudes. Improving understanding of the gene-environment interaction and dispelling beliefs about infectious causes may reduce negative attitudes about podoconiosis. Affected youth may play an important role as agents of change to spread non-stigmatizing messages.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Many health conditions are associated with stigma due to beliefs about their causes and the physical changes experienced by patients. Among such conditions are several neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Podoconiosis, classified as an NTD, is a form of lymphoedema caused by the co-influence of genetic and environmental factors. It is a major public health problem in Ethiopia and is associated with intense stigma. Despite this, little is known about the factors contributing to stigmatizing attitudes against patients with the disease.
METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was conducted in southern Ethiopia to analyse the attitudes of rural youth and associated risk factors for stigmatizing attitudes towards patients with podoconiosis, with the aim of informing stigma reduction strategies.
RESULTS
The survey included 336 randomly selected youth. Of the 177 (52.7%) youth who held more stigmatizing attitudes toward patients with podoconiosis, 105 (59.3%) were females and 171 (96.6%) did not have affected friends. Accurate knowledge about gene-environment influences and rejection of infectious causes of podoconiosis were associated with less stigmatizing attitudes.
CONCLUSIONS
Improving understanding of the gene-environment interaction and dispelling beliefs about infectious causes may reduce negative attitudes about podoconiosis. Affected youth may play an important role as agents of change to spread non-stigmatizing messages.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33169168
pii: 5965328
doi: 10.1093/trstmh/traa091
pmc: PMC7738651
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
995-1002Informations de copyright
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
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