Anticipated stigma and associated factors among chronic illness patients in Amhara Region Referral Hospitals, Ethiopia: A multicenter cross-sectional study

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 17; no. 9; p. e0273734
• Main Authors: Salih, Mohammed Hassen, Mekonnen, Hussen, Derseh, Lema, Lindgren, Helena, Erlandsson, Kerstin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Francisco Public Library of Science 15.09.2022; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Aged; Alcohol use; Biology and Life Sciences; Care and treatment; Chronic diseases; Chronic illnesses; Cigarette smoking; Cigarettes; Cross-sectional studies; Data collection; Demographic aspects; Diagnosis; Disease; Health aspects; Hospitals; Illnesses; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mental disorders; Mental health; Patient compliance; Patients; People and Places; Population; Psychological stress; Quality of life; Random sampling; Sample size; Sample variance; Sampling techniques; Smoking; Social Sciences; Statistical analysis; Statistical sampling; Stigma; Stigma (Social psychology); Ethiopia
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273734

Background Anticipated stigma related to chronic illness patients undermines diagnosis, treatment, and successful health outcomes. The study aimed to assess the magnitude and factors associated with anticipated stigma among patients with chronic illness attending follow-up clinics in Amhara Region Referral Hospitals, Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional institution-based study was conducted in Amhara Region Referral Hospitals from 01 March to 15 April 2021. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the three Referral Hospitals in the region and study subjects. Data were collected using a pre-tested interview-based questionnaire. Data were entered and cleaned with Epi-Info version 6 and exported for analysis STATA version 14. Multiple linear regression was used to show the association between anticipated stigma and potential factors. Associations were measured using ß coefficients and were considered statistically significant if the p-value > 0.05. Results A total of 779 patients were included for analysis with a response rate of 97%. Their mean (Standard deviation) of anticipated stigma was estimated at 1.86 and 0.5, respectively. After running an assumption test for multiple linear regression; educational status, cigarette smoking, psychological distress, medication adherence, alcohol consumption, and social part of the quality of life were statically significantly associated with anticipated stigma. Conclusion and recommendation The result showed a high level of anticipated stigma reported among the participants. Emphasizing improving their social part of the quality of life, avoiding risky behaviors like alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking, access to health education for chronically ill patients, integrating mental health in all types of chronic disease, and developing strategies and protocols which will help to improve patient medication adherence to their prescribed medication will be crucial. This can provide a foundation for government andnon-governmental organizations, and researchers implementing evidence-based interventions and strategies on chronic care to address factors related to anticipated stigma.