Does anyone have a link to the original study? Are there any studies on discrimination?
It is possible to take action against discrimination. What is the evidence base on what is effective against discrimination? The UN ambassador on discrimination will need to know the evidence base well.
[him] moderator
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Survey links HIV and poverty, joblessness
Shwe Yee Saw Myint
Myanmar Times
Thursday, 08 November 2012
A major study of people in Myanmar living with HIV/AIDS has found the condition is associated with a wide range of social problems, including poverty, joblessness and social stigma.
The study, which focused on 395 households with at least one HIV-positive person, was a community-based, cross-sectional descriptive survey carried out by the government and non-government organisations in 25 townships across six states and regions from January to October.
It found that while 64.5 percent of people living with HIV work, 70pc of surveyed households spent more than they earned, with 67.3pc reporting that they had borrowed money in the past 12 months, mostly for daily living costs and healthcare.
More than 63pc of households had sold assets to cover the cost of treatment for the HIV-positive person in their family.
Research was conducted by the Burnet Institute Myanmar, the Department of Medical Research (Lower Myanmar), Myanmar Positive Group and the National AIDS program, with funding from UNDP/UNAIDS, between January and October.
“HIV/AIDS is the third most challenging health problem after malaria and TB. With the introduction of anti-retroviral treatment programs the survival rate has markedly increased. On the other hand, poverty not only adds to the vulnerability of people with HIV, but also lack of access to healthcare,” said Dr Myo Thant, director of the Department of Medical Research (Lower Myanmar).
He said the study of the socioeconomic conditions of people with HIV/AIDS would inform the development of a planned AIDS Impact Mitigation Strategy.
The organisations involved in the survey made five recommendations, including conducting a national study on the socioeconomic impact of the effect of HIV on households that could then be used to develop the impact mitigation strategy.
They also said the government should develop a HIV workplace policy and encourage the promotion of job opportunities for people with HIV, while greater efforts should be made to ensure HIV-positive children and children from HIV-affected households remain in school.
More than 60pc of households surveyed had one person living with HIV, while 31.1pc had two, 6.3pc had three and 2pc had four. The Average
Dr Kyu Kyu Than, technical coordinator at the Burnet Institute, presented the results of the study at a workshop in Yangon on October 29. She said the average monthly income of people with HIV was K100,000, 40pc of which goes towards medication.
She said people living with HIV also have to cope with significant workplace discrimination, adding that many employers firing workers known to be HIV positive.
Almost 40pc of people living with HIV reported experiencing discrimination in the community because of their condition, while 22.5pc said they had been denied employment due to their condition.
“Most good and stable jobs require an HIV blood test result, and if you are positive, they don’t hire you,” an unnamed health worker from Mandalay was quoted as saying in the survey.
Discussing discrimination in the workplace, she said people with HIV were even barred from working as labourers and street vendors. Some changed their workplace because of hostility from co-workers.
The study showed that access to ART medication was also a factor in migration.
“I lived in downtown Yangon, but I moved to Hlaing Tharyar township about two years ago without my family to get ART treatment,” said a member of Myanmar Positive Group, adding that families of those affected faced difficulties in transporting them after death.
However, 32.7pc of those who migrated – about three in 10 households – said it was because of financial problems. Another 16.8pc said they had been evicted by the house owner, while 10.9pc said they moved because of social discrimination.
People stay away from the funerals of those with HIV and it is also difficult to arrange cremation, the survey said.
“When an AIDS victim dies, everyone is afraid; no one dares to come to eat at the funeral service,” said the relative of a deceased HIV-positive person.
U Maung Maung Kyaw of UNDP said the survey’s backers plan to the show the results to the Ministry of Health and other government departments in Nay Pyi Taw.
“[T]his is the first survey of HIV households, and we need to encourage the HIV community to work in partnership with government departments, NGOs and self-help groups,” said U Maung Maung Kyaw.
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/2973-survey-links-hiv-and-poverty-joblessness.html
