Skip to main content
PMC home page
Sexually Transmitted Infections logoLink to Sexually Transmitted Infections
. 2005 Apr;81(2):113–119. doi: 10.1136/sti.2004.011767

Discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS and associated factors: a population based study in the Chinese general population

J Lau 1, H Tsui 1
PMCID: PMC1764671  PMID: 15800086

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the level of discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and factors in association with such attitudes.

Methods: A population based cross sectional telephone survey was conducted. A total of 808 Hong Kong Chinese aged 18–50 randomly selected from the general population participated in the study.

Results: Around 42% of the respondents exhibited discriminatory attitudes in at least five out of the 20 relevant items. For instance, about 42% would avoid making physical contact with PLWHA; 35% believed that all infected medical staff should be dismissed and about 47% would agree with enacting a law to prohibit PLWHA from visiting Hong Kong. A sizeable proportion of the respondents also hold negative perceptions about PLWHA (for example, 43.7% agreed that the majority of PLWHA are promiscuous, 20.7% thought that PLWHA are merely receiving the punishment they deserve, etc). Multiple regression analysis found that age, HIV related knowledge, the above mentioned negative perceptions about PLWHA, fear related to AIDS, and exposure to HIV related information were independent predictors of discriminatory attitudes towards PLWHA. About 30% would give PLWHA the lowest priority in resource allocation among five groups of patients with chronic diseases.

Conclusions: The general public in Hong Kong has formed some negative perceptions of PLWHA. Discriminatory attitudes towards PLWHA are common and cover different aspects of their life. Intervention programmes are warranted and an integrated approach is required.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (85.0 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bermingham S., Kippax S. HIV-related discrimination: a survey of New South Wales general practitioners. Aust N Z J Public Health. 1998 Feb;22(1):92–97. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-842x.1998.tb01151.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Blendon R. J., Donelan K. Discrimination against people with AIDS: the public's perspective. N Engl J Med. 1988 Oct 13;319(15):1022–1026. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198810133191522. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chliaoutakis J., Trakas D. J. Stigmatization, discrimination and fear of AIDS in Greece: implications for health policy. Ethn Health. 1996 Dec;1(4):359–371. doi: 10.1080/13557858.1996.9961805. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chou K. L., Mak K. Y., Chung P. K., Ho K. Attitudes towards mental patients in Hong Kong. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 1996 Autumn;42(3):213–219. doi: 10.1177/002076409604200305. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Danziger R. Discrimination against people with HIV and AIDS in Poland. BMJ. 1994 Apr 30;308(6937):1145–1147. doi: 10.1136/bmj.308.6937.1145. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Davis C., Noel M. B., Chan S. F., Wing L. S. Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to HIV and AIDS among chinese adolescents in hong kong. J Adolesc. 1998 Dec;21(6):657–665. doi: 10.1006/jado.1998.0186. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dennehy E. B., Edwards C. A., Keller R. L. AIDS education intervention utilizing a person with AIDS: examination and clarification. AIDS Educ Prev. 1995 Apr;7(2):124–133. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Falck R. S., Siegal H. A., Wang J., Carlson R. G. Usefulness of the health belief model in predicting HIV needle risk practices among injection drug users. AIDS Educ Prev. 1995 Dec;7(6):523–533. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gerbert B., Sumser J., Maguire B. T. The impact of who you know and where you live on opinions about AIDS and health care. Soc Sci Med. 1991;32(6):677–681. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(91)90146-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Herek G. M., Glunt E. K. An epidemic of stigma. Public reactions to AIDS. Am Psychol. 1988 Nov;43(11):886–891. doi: 10.1037//0003-066x.43.11.886. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. King M. B. Prejudice and AIDS: the views and experiences of people with HIV infection. AIDS Care. 1989;1(2):137–143. doi: 10.1080/09540128908260249. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lau J. T. F., Tsui H. Y., Chan K. Reducing discriminatory attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Hong Kong: an intervention study using an integrated knowledge-based PLWHA participation and cognitive approach. AIDS Care. 2005 Jan;17(1):85–101. doi: 10.1080/09540120412331305151. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Lau J. T. F., Tsui H. Y., Li C. K., Chung R. W. Y., Chan M. W., Molassiotis A. Needs assessment and social environment of people living with HIV/AIDS in Hong Kong. AIDS Care. 2003 Oct;15(5):699–706. doi: 10.1080/09540120310001595186. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lau J. T., Wong W. S. AIDS-related discrimination in the workplace--the results of two evaluative surveys carried out during a three-year period in Hong Kong. AIDS Care. 2001 Aug;13(4):433–440. doi: 10.1080/09540120120057969. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lau Joseph T. F., Tsui H. Y. Surveillance of discriminatory attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS among the general public in Hong Kong from 1994 to 2000. Disabil Rehabil. 2003 Dec 16;25(24):1354–1360. doi: 10.1080/09638280310001616349. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Leone C., Wingate C. A functional approach to understanding attitudes toward AIDS victims. J Soc Psychol. 1991 Dec;131(6):761–768. doi: 10.1080/00224545.1991.9924663. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Peters L., den Boer D. J., Kok G., Schaalma H. P. Public reactions towards people with AIDS: an attributional analysis. Patient Educ Couns. 1994 Dec;24(3):323–335. doi: 10.1016/0738-3991(94)90075-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Price V., Hsu M. L. Public opinion about AIDS policies. The role of misinformation and attitudes toward homosexuals. Public Opin Q. 1992 Spring;56(1):29–52. doi: 10.1086/269294. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Wong Irene L. K., So Ernest M. T. Prevalence estimates of problem and pathological gambling in Hong Kong. Am J Psychiatry. 2003 Jul;160(7):1353–1354. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.160.7.1353. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Sexually Transmitted Infections are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES