Findings from the PLHIV Stigma Index in Cameroon You can download the presentation from http://www.gnpplus.net

1. PEOPLE LIVING
WITH HIV
ARE...
Stigma and discrimination experienced by PLHIV in
the workplace and health care settings in Cameroon –
findings from PLHIV led research
Workplaces not working?
GLOBAL NETWORK OF
PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV
Stigma and discrimination is evident in the workplace and
health facilities. PLHIV organisation call upon employers to
work with them to make the ILO Recommendation on HIV
andAIDSandtheWorldofWork(No.200)arealityandhealth
care facilities to work with them to be more person centred
and sensitive in the ways they provide services.
C. Kenkem1
, M.O. Irogo2
, C.D. Noubissi3
, O. Mbadi4
, J. Hows5
,
G. Caswell6
1
RéCAP+, Yaounde, Cameroon, 2
RECAP+, Network President,
Yaounde, Cameroon, 3
Cameroonian PLHIV network
representative, Bafoussa, Cameroon, 4
Institute for Research
on Socio-Economic Development and Communications,
Yaounde, Cameroon, 5
Global Network of People Living with
HIV (GNP+), Amsterdam, Netherlands, 6
Global Network of
People Living with HIV (GNP+), Cape Town, South Africa
The People Living with HIV Stigma Index is an initiative of four founding partners
Having access to health services and work with dignity and free from discrimination is essential for universal access to treatment to be achieved. This study
relates specifically to data illustrating the challenges respondents faced in these domains analysed from The PLHIV Stigma Index (www.stigmaindex.org)
implementation in Cameroon 2010/2011.
1284 PLHIV (70% women, n=897, and 30% men, n=387) took part, interviewed by trained PLHIV peer researchers using a standardised questionnaire
adapted for local usage.
Ethical approval was granted, analysis conducted using SPSS; sampling skewed to those in receipt of services and community attached/being aware/
part of local support groups.
In the previous 12 months
Work: 316 people (23% of the sample) stated they had lost a job/source of income at least once, 147 (46%) of these ascribing this loss to their HIV+
status. Additionally 10% of those in employment perceived or knew they had been refused promotion or otherwise disadvantaged.
Table 8: Percentage of people who report being refused employment in the last 12 months.
Characteristics Men Women Total
How often have lost a job (if employed) or another
source of income (if self-employed or an informal/
a casual self-worker), in the last 12 months
Never 76.5 75.2 75.7
Once 10.0 11.1 10.7
A few times 9.4 10.9 10.3
Often 2.5 1.1 1.6
ND 1,6 1.8 1.7
At least once 21.9 23.1 22.6
Has been refused employment or a work
opportunity because of his HIV status, in the
last 12 months
Yes 12,5 3.4 6.7
No 86,5 95.4 92.2
ND 0.9 1.2 1.1
How often has the job description or the nature of
the work of the interviewee changed or have been
refused promotion as a result of their HIV status, in
the last 12 months
Never 84.3 90.9 88.5
Once 9.1 3.9 5.8
A few times 5.0 2.7 3.5
Often 0.9 0.2 0.5
ND 0.6 2.3 1.7
At least once 15.0 6.8 9.8
N* 319 561 880
*Numbers of people who have been earning an income in the last 12 months
Health Services: 16% (n=205) believed their HIV-related medical records were not
kept confidentially, and nearly twice that number were unsure about confidentiality
of records; this was of concern to many respondents.
Table 32: Distribution of interviewees according to the confidentiality of their medical records
relating to their HIV status.
Characteristics
Sure they
are kept
completely
confidential
Don’t know
if are kept
confidential
Clear that
they are not
being kept
confidential
ND N
Gender
Men 28.7 49.6 18.6 3.1 387
Women 33.9 50.2 14.3 1.7 897
Region
Douala/Yaoundé 39.8 40.1 17.4 2.6 344
Extreme North 1.8 59.4 35.9 2.9 170
East 36.6 57.5 3.9 2.0 254
West 27.4 53.8 16.6 2.2 325
South-West 48.7 42.9 7.9 0.5 191
Place of residence
Rural 27.2 50.8 18.5 3.5 313
Small town or
village
35.8 55.8 7.2 1.2 335
Big city or
metropolis
33.0 46.5 18.6 1.9 636
Age
15 – 24 36.7 55.7 7.6 0.0 79
25 – 29 32.6 53.8 12.0 1.6 184
30 – 39 32.8 48.8 16.0 2.4 539
40 – 49 30.2 49.0 19.1 1.6 367
50 years and
above
33.0 48.7 13.9 4.3 115
Relationship status
Cohabiting 32.2 47.1 18.7 2.0 739
Not cohabiting 32.5 53.9 11.4 2.2 545
TOTAL 32.3 50.0 15.6 2.1 1284
Additionally 3.6% (n=46) had experienced discriminatory attitudes/behaviour from
health care workers and 48% (see table) reported no positive conversation with a
healthcare provider.
Background
Methods
Results
Conclusions
Institution(s)
Authors
Table 36: Distribution of respondents who report having had a constructive discussion in the
last 12 months with a health care professional(s) on the subject of HIV-related treatment
options and/or on other subjects.
Characteristics
Discussion on the subject
of HIV-related treatment
Discussion on
other health
subjects
N
Gender
Men 58.9 55.6 387
Women 63.5 54.4 897
Region
Douala/Yaoundé 57.3 64.0 344
Extreme North 68.2 57.1 170
East 69.7 38.2 254
West 59.1 43.7 325
South-West 60.7 77.0 191
Place of residence
Rural 64.2 57.8 313
Small town or village 63.9 51.3 335
Big city or metropolis 60.2 55.0 636
Age
15 – 24 60.8 44.3 79
25 – 29 58.7 59.2 184
30 – 39 59.2 56.2 539
40 – 49 67.0 56.1 367
50 years and above 67.0 43.5 115
Relationship status
Cohabiting 60.9 59.3 739
Not cohabiting 63.9 48.6 545
TOTAL 62.1 54.8 1284
THE PEOPLE
LIVING
WITH HIV
STIGMA
INDEX
The Study in Cameroon is supported by
leading research