HIV/AIDS Related Stigma among Male Labor Migrants in Nepal 311
infections to others.
The level of stigma on HIV/AIDS among migrants af-
fects the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS prevention program
by creating an environment that discourages individuals
(both PLHA and people at risk) from disclosing them-
selves and seeking care on promotive, preventive and
curative services on HIV. HIV/AIDS stigma directly or
indirectly violates the human right element of at-risk
group and PLHA making them suffer more.
5. Conclusions
Findings from this study have several implications for
preventing the HIV epidemic in the future. Firstly it has
tried to explore the level of stigmatizing attitude against
HIV/AIDS among the labor migrants and secondly these
respondents are themselves the population at risk for
HIV infection in Nepal. On the one hand, the insulting
attitude against HIV/AIDS presenting among the re-
spondents directly affects their behavior towards PLHAs
and on the other hand, this attitude can possibly affect
their health service seeking behavior like going to a VCT
center and Anti-Retroviral Therapy center etc.
Thus, programs that aim for HIV prevention should
target both the prospective and returnee migrants in
country of origin. Stigma reduction programs should be
also designed on multifaceted nature of HIV-related
stigma and focus should be among migrants with no or
low education, rural residence and with higher duration
of people stay overseas. To reduce the stigma and make
future AIDS intervention programs effective, country of
des tination can have important roles in cond ucti ng s tigma
reduction programs and making VCT services accessible
to them.
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