A Descriptive Study on the Attitudes of Formal and Informal Caregivers Toward People Living with HIV, Self, and Others in Selected Areas of Metro Manila

Abstract

The study focused on the lives of both formal and informal caregivers to people living with HIV (PLWHIV). It aimed to determine and describe the knowledge of both the formal and informal caregivers on HIV and AIDS and their attitudes toward PLWHIV, self, and others and to find out and assess the difference between the life experiences and the changes in die different aspects of the lives of both the formal and informal caregivers and these caregivers’ level of caregiver burden and caregiver burnout since they assumed the caregiving responsibility. Fifty-one formal caregivers and 56 informal caregivers participated in the study. Through research instruments, focus group discussions (FGDs), and interview widi key informants, the researcher was able to gather pertinent data for the study. With mean scores and descriptive statistics, it has been found out that all of the study’s hypotheses were confirmed. The researcher has found out that both formal and informal caregivers are knowledgeable about HIV and AIDS, with the latter gamering a higher score than the former. This was shown in the promising scores that they got in the HIV/AIDS Awareness Test, both overall and per main theme. The lives of both caregivers changed to a great extent as shown by their life experiences. In terms of the attribute attitude, for the formal caregivers, their mean scores show that they exhibit a generally negative attitude towards PLWHIV, the self, and others, as opposed to the informal caregivers who felt positively towards PLWHIV and others and negatively towards their selves. Furthermore, the HIV and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination that these caregivers feel basically has three forms: people staying away from them, the reaction of health professionals, and the acceptance of their families. And the things that influence such forms of stigma and discrimination is our culture and religion. As for caregiver burden and caregiver burnout, formal caregivers go through a neither high nor low caregiver burden and a low caregiver burnout. The informal caregivers, on the other hand, feel both a high caregiver burden and burnout, the biggest problems these caregivers face are the stigma and discrimination associated with PLWHIV and being a caregiver of a PLWHIV, taking everything in, and who will look after them after all else ends, it is significant to point out that there is a need for one to focus on and think about the welfare of formal and informal caregivers.