ABSTRACT
Background: HIV/AIDS continues to be a major global health concern, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations in developing regions. In Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, HIV testing and treatment uptake remain alarmingly low due to stigma and knowledge gaps.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate how stigma and false information around HIV affect the uptake of HIV testing and treatment among underprivileged populations in Balochistan. It also looked at how testing behaviours and adherence to antiretroviral medication (ART) are predicted by sociodemographic traits, stigma, and knowledge gaps.
Methods: A systematic 15-item questionnaire encompassing sociodemographic characteristics, HIV knowledge, stigma, and testing/treatment behaviours was used in a cross-sectional survey. High-risk groups were represented thanks to purposeful sampling. SPSS was used for the analysis of data from 150 participants. Distributions were summarized using descriptive statistics, relationships between categorical variables were examined using chi-square, and predictors of HIV testing and treatment uptake were found using binary logistic regression.
Results: Only 36% of respondents correctly identified sexual transmission, and only 29.3% acknowledged the effectiveness of ART, indicating significant knowledge gaps. Only 32% of participants were on ART, 30% acknowledged missing doses, and little over half (51.3%) reported having been tested for HIV in the previous 12 months. Latent social and moral stigma was reflected in the moderate level of stigma, with mean Likert scale scores of about 3.0. Sociodemographic and testing uptake did not significantly correlate, according to chi-square analysis (χ² = 4.280, p = 0.118). The combined impact of stigma, knowledge, and sociodemographic characteristics, however, significantly predicted HIV testing, according to logistic regression (χ² = 47.342, p = 0.039).
Conclusion: In Balochistan, stigma and false information continue to be major obstacles to HIV care, compromising testing and treatment compliance. Regression research revealed that the combination of sociodemographic, knowledge, and stigma together predicted testing behaviours, even though demographic characteristics by themselves had no discernible impact on uptake. To improve HIV outcomes in the province, targeted interventions that emphasise stigma reduction, culturally tailored information campaigns, and increased access to ART are desperately needed.
Keywords: HIV/AIDS, stigma, knowledge gaps, HIV testing, ART adherence, Balochistan, Pakistan.