November 1, 2010

People Who Don’t Get Tested Are More Likely to Stigmatize HIV

People who stigmatize HIV are less likely to get tested for the virus, according to a study published in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and reported by aidsmap. “Compared to those who had never tested, people who tested were significantly less likely to hold negative attitudes and beliefs about people living with HIV, more likely to believe people with HIV face discrimination [and] more likely to hold beliefs that people living with HIV should be treated equally,” the researchers write. They surveyed 5,249 people in South Africa. Only 41 percent had ever tested for HIV.

To read the aidsmap article, click here.

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