title: Prevalence and factors associated with HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discriminatory attitudes: a cross-sectional nationwide study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prime purpose of this study is to assess HIV/AIDS-related self-stigma and discrimination (S&D) attitudes and associated factors using multivariate analysis of data from the 2010-11 National Survey of Understanding the Root of HIV/AIDS Related Stigma and Discrimination.
  
  
  METHODS
  A national telephone survey was carried out with 2271 of the Malaysian public aged 18-60 years. The sample was contacted by random digit dialing covering the whole of Peninsular Malaysia from December 2010 to May 2011. The HIV-transmission knowledge, HIV-related self-stigma, and public stigma were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite high level of HIV-transmission knowledge [mean (SD)=10.56 (2.42), mean score at 70th percentile] the respondents in this study had moderate levels (mean scores near midpoints) of self-stigma and public stigma attitudes. HIV-transmission knowledge score was not significantly correlated with self-stigma score, but showed a significantly small positive effect (r<0.2) for public stigma scores. Ethnicity is the strongest correlate of HIV-transmission knowledge, self-stigma, and public stigma attitudes in the multivariate analyses. Other significant correlates were age, socioeconomic group, and urban-rural setting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The root causes of HIV stigma and discriminatory attitudes were not associated with knowledge deficiency. Interventions should be oriented towards promoting de-stigmatization of HIV/AIDS, and tailored socio-culturally.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. wonglp@ummc.edu.my
authors.forename: Li Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011287:Prejudice / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013240:Stereotyping; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Discriminatory; HIV/AIDS; Knowledge; Stigma