Author/Authors :
Moradi, G. kurdistan university of medical sciences - Kurdistan Research Centre for Social Determinants of Health, ايران , Mohraz, M. Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviours - Iranian Research Centre for HIV/AIDS, ايران , Gouya, M.M. Ministry of Health and Medical Education - Centre for Communicable Diseases Control - Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, ايران , Dejman, M. university of social welfare and rehabilitation sciences - Social Determinants of Health Research Centre, ايران , Alinaghi, S.S. Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviours - Iranian Research Centre for HIV/AIDS, ايران , Rahmani, K. shahid beheshti university of medical sciences - Department of Epidemiology, تهران, ايران , Malekafzali-Ardakani, H. tehran university of medical sciences tums - School of Public Health - Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, تهران, ايران
Abstract :
This qualitative study aimed to identify the health-care problems of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in 2 large cities: Tehran and Kermanshah. Two main groups of stakeholders — service providers (policy-makers, managers, physicians and counsellors) and service recipients (PLHIV and their relatives) — participated in focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. We identified 24 themes covering the major health problems of PLHIV, including: incomplete and inadequate coverage of health-care services; patients’ substance abuse; patients’ fear of stigma; occupational burnout of certain service providers; patients’ dissatisfaction with some of the services provided by counselling centres/clinics; medical staff’s failure to observe confidentiality; and patients’ lack of access to required specialized services. The problems and needs identified can inform the design and implementation of health programmes in our country and elsewhere in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
