A SURVEY OF ATTITUDES OF NAVAL PERSONNEL TO RETENTION OF HIV POSITIVE SAILOR ON SHIP AND IN NAVAL SERVICE.

A survey of attitudes of naval personnel to retention of a HIV Positive Sailor on a ship and in naval service was carried out among personnel posted to ships/establishments at Visakhapatnam. A total of 652 naval personnel were subjected to the questionnaire. The study revealed that only 234 (35.9%) of the individuals indicated willingness for retention of an HIV Positive Sailor on their ship, while 390 (59.8%) did not want retention of such an individual on their ship. A majority of these 390 individuals however could not forward any justifiable reason for their opinion. Retention in naval service of an HIV Positive sailor was recommended by 389 (59.7%) of the individuals surveyed while 251 (38.5%) individuals did not favour such an action. Unjustified reasons were ascribed by a majority of personnel not favouring retention in service. Almost 75% of officers expressed positive attitude for retention of HIV personnel on the ship as well as in service. Only 29% of sailors expressed positive attitude for acceptance on ship while 57% of them expressed positive attitude for retention in service.