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Tuesday, December 6, 2005
Barbadians attitudes to people infected with HIV/AIDS are changing. An ongoing study has found Bajans are less likely to discriminate or stigmatise their HIV/AIDS-infected colleagues in the workplace.
Seventy-six per cent said they would work with an HIV-infected colleague, while 65 per cent said anyone showing signs of AIDS should not continue working.
This compared favourably with data collected up to March this year by the same team, led by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The ILO study found 90 per cent of workers said they would work with an HIV-positive co-worker.
The first study also found that, in general, workers have increased knowledge about anti-stigma or anti-discrimatory strategies.
Despite this however, the study found many of the infected who received anti-retroviral treatment and were capable of returning to work, are not doing so because of persistent fears of being stigmatised, or discriminated against.
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