Tanzania HIV/AIDS and Malaria Indicator Survey ... - Measure DHS
Tanzania HIV/AIDS and Malaria Indicator Survey ... - Measure DHS
Tanzania HIV/AIDS and Malaria Indicator Survey ... - Measure DHS
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ATTITUDES RELATING TO <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> 66.1 ATTITUDES TOWARDS PEOPLE LIVING WITH <strong>AIDS</strong>Widespread stigma <strong>and</strong> discrimination in a population can adversely affect both people’swillingness to be tested for <strong>HIV</strong> <strong>and</strong> their adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Reduction of stigma <strong>and</strong>discrimination in a population is thus an important indicator of the success of programmes targeting<strong>HIV</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>AIDS</strong> prevention <strong>and</strong> control.As stated in the National Policy on <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong>, stigma is one of the key challenges in theprevention <strong>and</strong> control of the epidemic. People living with <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> face discrimination <strong>and</strong> aresometimes neglected because of hostile attitudes. More importantly, stigma leads to secrecy <strong>and</strong>denial, which hinder people from seeking counselling <strong>and</strong> testing for <strong>HIV</strong>, crucial first steps infighting the epidemic (Prime Minister’s Office, 2001).To assess the level of stigma, THMIS respondents who had heard of <strong>AIDS</strong> were asked severalquestions related to their attitudes towards people infected by <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong>. They were asked if theywould be willing to care for a sick relative with <strong>AIDS</strong> in their own household, if they would bewilling to buy fresh vegetables from a market vendor who has <strong>AIDS</strong>, if they thought a female teacherwho has <strong>HIV</strong> but is not sick should be allowed to continue teaching, <strong>and</strong> if they would want to keep afamily member’s <strong>HIV</strong> status secret.Results in Tables 6.1.1 <strong>and</strong> 6.1.2 show that 90 percent of women <strong>and</strong> men are willing to carefor a family member with the <strong>AIDS</strong> virus in homes <strong>and</strong> 75 percent of respondents believe that afemale teacher with the <strong>AIDS</strong> virus who is not sick should be allowed to continue teaching. However,only 57 percent of women <strong>and</strong> 65 percent of men express a willingness to buy fresh vegetables from ashopkeeper who has the <strong>AIDS</strong> virus <strong>and</strong> less than half of women <strong>and</strong> 59 percent of men say that if afamily member got infected with the <strong>AIDS</strong> virus, they would not feel it necessary to keep it a secret.A composite indicator combining all four of these attitudes is shown in the second-to-lastcolumn of Tables 6.1.1 <strong>and</strong> 6.1.2. The data show that stigma <strong>and</strong> discrimination are still widespreadamong <strong>Tanzania</strong>n adults because only about one in four women <strong>and</strong> one in three men interviewedexpressed positive attitudes on all four indicators. This level is almost the same as that observed in the2003-04 THIS, <strong>and</strong> slightly higher than the level observed in the 2004 T<strong>DHS</strong>, though there are slightdifferences in wording between the surveys. In all three surveys, women are less positive than men inacceptance of all four attitude indicators.Adults in urban areas are more likely than rural adults to have positive attitudes towardspeople with <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong>. For example, the proportion of women who express accepting attitudes on allfour indicators was 37 percent in urban areas <strong>and</strong> 23 percent in rural areas; among men, thecomparable figures are 50 percent in urban areas <strong>and</strong> 30 percent in rural areas. Zonal variationsindicate that women in Zanzibar exhibit the highest level of acceptance on all four attitudinalmeasures (34 percent), compared with other zones in Mainl<strong>and</strong> <strong>Tanzania</strong>, while men in Eastern Zoneare found to have the highest acceptance (46 percent). The lowest acceptance is found among women<strong>and</strong> men in Central <strong>and</strong> Western zones.Differentials across regions are marked. Regions with low levels of acceptance on all fourindicators include Dodoma, Mtwara, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, <strong>and</strong> Tanga for women, <strong>and</strong> Tabora,Tanga, Shinyanga, <strong>and</strong> Singida for men. Only about one in five adults in these regions have acceptingattitudes on all four indicators. On the positive side, women <strong>and</strong> men in Arusha (42 <strong>and</strong> 48 percent,respectively) <strong>and</strong> men in Dar es Salaam (56 percent) are more likely than those in other regions toexpress accepting attitudes on all four indicators.Attitudes Relating to <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> | 65