Azad Shokri, Ghobad Moradi, Amjad Mohamadi Bolbanabad, Mitra Satary, Mahin Shabrandi, Parsa Sadeghkhani, Aram Mohammadi, Armin Ghorishi, Ronak Veisy, Arshad Veysi, Bakhtiar Piroozi, Shina Amiri Hoseini, Sonia Darvishi and Heshmatollah Asadi
The purpose of the study is to investigate the perceived stigma among residents of Sanandaj, west of Iran, following COVID-19 pandemic.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to investigate the perceived stigma among residents of Sanandaj, west of Iran, following COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a cross-sectional study conducted from March to April 2020. The sample consisted of 1,000 participants who live in Sanandaj. The data collection tool was a self-report electronic questionnaire. ANOVA and T-test were used to analyze the data.
Findings
The mean perceived stigma for COVID-19 was 5.50±2.24 (IQR: 3.75–6.87) out of 10-point scale. The highest point was seen for perceived external stigma (6.73±2.49, IQR: 5–8.75) followed by disclosure stigma (4.95±3.92, IQR: 0–10). Interestingly, self-employers were more concerned about disclosing their illness than those with governmental jobs (25±3.93 vs. 4.31±4.14, P<0.05), and also had an overall higher stigma score; 5.72±2.23 vs. 5.19±2.37, P<0.05).
Originality/value
COVID-19 stigma is high among Iranians and more common among men, youngsters and self-employers.
Details
Keywords
Ghobad Moradi, Amjad Mohamadi-Bolbanabad, Sonia Darvishi, Fatemeh Azimian Zavareh, Bakhtiar Piroozi, Bushra Zareie, Mohammad-Mehdi Gouya and Mehrzad Tashakorian
The purpose of this paper is to determine patterns of sexual behaviors and related factors among prisoners in Iran, 2015.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine patterns of sexual behaviors and related factors among prisoners in Iran, 2015.
Design/methodology/approach
This cross-sectional study was a part of a bio-behavioral surveillance survey conducted on 6,200 prisoners in 26 prisons in Iran. The subjects were selected through multi-stage sampling. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data on participant’s demographics and history of sexual behaviors. Using STATA-12 software, the collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, and crude and adjusted logistic regression.
Findings
A total of 5,508 prisoners with a response rate of 88.8 percent participated in this study. Of all prisoners, 55 percent (n=3,027) had a history of “unsafe sex in the lifetime” of whom 53.4 percent (n=1,549) never used condoms during unsafe sex in the lifetime. Based on the results of multivariate analysis, risk factors for “unsafe sex in lifetime” were the following: higher level of education (AOR=1.79, CI: 1.41–2.28), being single (AOR=1.32, CI: 1.18–1.47), unemployed before imprisonment (AOR=1.45, CI: 1.06–1.97), having history of previous imprisonment (AOR=1.31, CI: 1.17–1.47) and history of drug use in the lifetime (AOR=1.53, CI: 1.35–1.75).
Originality/value
Prisoners are high-risk groups that are prone to practice unsafe sex. Prisoners who are single, unemployed before imprisonment, a drug user, with a higher level of education and with a history of imprisonment are likely to be sexually active in their lifetime. Thus, they are a priority for receiving suitable interventions.