Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Ghanaian Times
Published on 2024-03-01 15:53:34
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has revealed that more than 70 per cent of females and males aged between 15 and 49, who are aware of Human Immune Virus (HIV), exhibit discriminatory attitudes towards people living with the disease. This was disclosed in a statement released by the GSS in Accra, marking International Discrimination Day on March 1 in Ghana annually.
The statement highlighted that approximately 78.4 percent of females and 72.1 percent of males aged 15-49, who have knowledge of HIV, hold discriminatory attitudes towards individuals living with the virus. These discriminatory attitudes manifest in beliefs such as not allowing children with HIV to attend the same school as HIV-negative children or avoiding purchasing fresh produce from a vendor who has HIV. The prevalence of discriminatory attitudes is higher in rural areas, with 85.5 percent of females and 78.1 percent of males exhibiting such beliefs, as opposed to urban areas where the percentages are 73.4 percent for females and 67.3 percent for males.
Among females aged 15 to 49 in eight specific regions, including Ahafo, Savannah, Oti, North East, Northern, Upper West, Western North, and Upper East, more than four in five individuals demonstrated discriminatory attitudes towards those living with HIV. Similarly, three regions – North East, Northern, and Oti – reported that more than four in five males aged 15-49 also held discriminatory beliefs towards individuals with HIV.
The GSS pointed out that individuals with higher levels of education were less likely to exhibit discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV. The data indicated that individuals with no education were more than twice as likely to hold discriminatory attitudes compared to those with secondary education or higher.
Furthermore, the GSS highlighted that discriminatory attitudes decreased in prevalence among females aged 15-49 with increasing levels of education, from 91.5 percent for those with no education to 44.8 percent for those with more than secondary education. Among males aged 15-49, discriminatory attitudes decreased from 90.0 percent for those with no education to 43.4 percent for those with secondary or more education.
The GSS also noted that discriminatory attitudes towards people with HIV decreased with wealth, with the highest prevalence observed among females aged 15-49 in the lowest wealth quintile. This group reported discriminatory attitudes at 91.3 percent, compared to the lowest percentage among those in the highest wealth quintile at 63.7 percent. Similarly, among males, those in the lowest wealth quintile exhibited the highest discriminatory attitudes at 84.9 percent, with a decreasing trend observed among higher wealth quintiles.
In conclusion, the GSS emphasized the need to address discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV through targeted education and awareness campaigns. By promoting understanding and empathy, we can work towards a more inclusive and supportive society for individuals affected by HIV.
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