Forty years since the discovery of HIV/AIDS, new research highlights that people living with the disease still face stigma, discrimination and negative labelling from their own families, communities and healthcare professionals.
Flinders University researchers interviewed 20 HIV healthcare providers including doctors, nurses, and counsellors in Indonesia’s Yogyakarta and Belu districts, to examine their experiences when treating patients with HIV. Their responses included admission of personal stigma and discrimination towards people living with the disease.
Lead author Nelsensius Fauk said people living with HIV/AIDS are being significantly discriminated against in a wide range of ways. For example, they may be subjected to separation of their personal belongings by family members, be avoided physically by community members, and they may experience rejection or not being provided treatment by the healthcare providers.
“Due to the lack of knowledge about HIV, there is still a fear in the community about contracting the disease from patients and a reluctance to help because of personal values, religious stances, socio-cultural values and norms in these communities, which directly contribute further towards HIV stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS.”
Senior author Associate Professor Lillian Mwanri said although treatment modalities have improved significantly and the quality of life improves where HIV patients are treated effectively, HIV stigma and discrimination remain prevalent, leaving patients with poor access to services and healthcare providers being less familiar with how to manage and interact with HIV patients. These in turn increase healthcare providers’ fear of contracting HIV from patients, she said.
