Knowledge and Attitudes of Doctors Toward People Living With HIV/AIDS in Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVES: Reports showed that Saudi Arabia has low prevalence of HIV/AIDS despite increasing influx of foreign nationals from countries with high risk of HIV. Knowledge and stigmatizing attitudes of health care workers contribute to difficulties of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) accessing prevention, care, and treatment services. Nothing is known about stigma and discrimination about PLWHA in Saudi Arabia. DESIGN: We assessed knowledge of Saudi Arabian doctors about HIV and their attitudes toward PLWHA using a cross-sectional study design. METHOD: In this study, 1483 doctors completed a self-administered questionnaire. RESULT: Knowledge scores and stigma index were computed from responses to relevant statements in the questionnaire. Stigmatizing attitudes of contact, reproductive rights, blaming, and judgmental were identified. HIV knowledge was a significant predictor of high stigma. Doctors' year of medical practice, status/specialty, and location of practice in Saudi Arabia were major predictors of HIV knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence of poor knowledge of HIV suggests the need for further training of health workers on HIV transmission mode.