HIV-Related Stigma and Discriminatory Attitudes among a Semi-Urban Population

• Published in: The Malaysian journal of medical sciences 2015-09, Vol.22 (5), p.64-69
• Main Authors: Lugova, Halyna, Mon, Aye Aye, Daher, Aqil Mohammad, Suleiman, Adlina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; Attitudes; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Studies
• ISSN: 1394-195X; 2180-4303

Stigma and discriminatory attitudes (SDAs) have a negative impact on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention, testing, and treatment as well as on family and social networks. There is a lack of understanding about HIV-related SDAs among people living outside large cities. This study is aimed to determine the level of HIV-related SDAs among a semi-urban population in Malaysia and to compare the SDA results among people with different sociodemographic characteristics. A sample of 106 respondents was generated by convenience sampling during the screening campaign in Alor Gajah, Malaysia. Data collection was carried out based on a pre-tested questionnaire via face-to-face interviews. More than half of the respondents (62.3%) thought that an HIV-positive teacher should not be allowed to continue teaching at school; 81.1% were unsure or were unwilling to care for their family member with AIDS at home; 81.2% thought children with HIV/AIDS should not continue to be raised in families; and 77.3% thought they would not reveal if a family member had HIV/AIDS. Priority should be given to evidence-based interventions to reduce HIV-related SDAs. This study did not reveal any significant relationship between sociodemographic profiles and HIV-related SDAs. Therefore, further research with a larger sample size is needed to investigate the underlying causes of HIV-related SDAs.