Halyna Lugova1, Aye Aye Mon2, Aqil Mohammad Daher1, Adlina Suleiman1. 1. Community Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, Sungai Besi Prime Camp, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2. Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, Sungai Besi Prime Camp, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.
BACKGROUND: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.
Authors: Harry Jin; Valerie A Earnshaw; Jeffrey A Wickersham; Adeeba Kamarulzaman; Mayur M Desai; Jacob John; Frederick L Altice Journal: AIDS Care Date: 2014-03-14
Authors: Valerie A Earnshaw; Harry Jin; Jeffrey Wickersham; Adeeba Kamarulzaman; Jacob John; Frederick L Altice Journal: Trop Med Int Health Date: 2014-03-26 Impact factor: 2.622