The HIV-infected persons are most often discriminated at the workplace and when looking for a job, consider most of the respondents of an opinion poll centering on the phenomenon of discrimination, conducted by the Institute for Public Policy (IPP).
The results were presented in a news conference at IPN. When asked what words spring to mind when they think about a HIV-infected person, the largest part of the respondents answered ‘sick’. Other answers were: ‘pity’; ‘danger of infection’; ‘isolated’; ‘irresponsible’; ‘fear’, and ‘infectious disease’.
Most of those polled believe that the HIV-infected persons must tell that they are infected only to the doctor. Over 80% of the respondents consider that these persons should benefit from appropriate social protection from the state.
More than 60% of the respondents consider the HIV-infected persons should have separate doctors, while 55% think the HIV-infected students must go to separate schools. Half of the respondents believe that the HIV-infected persons enjoy enough rights in Moldova.
40% of those surveyed do not object to these people living in Moldova. 32% would accept HIV-infected people to live in their settlement, 25% - in their vicinity, 18% – as a colleague, while 17% - as a family member. 82% said they would look after a family member infected with HIV.
The survey was carried out between June 27 and July 8, 2014, and covered a sample of 1,070 people older than 18 from 84 settlements. It forms part of the project “Efficient policies and mechanisms for combating discrimination” that is supported by the U.S. Department of State. The margin of sampling error is 3%.
