Does HIV testing improve attitudes towards PLWHA?

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Periodical article

Title:	Does HIV testing improve attitudes towards PLWHA?
Author:	Rakgoasi, Serai Daniel
Year:	2009
Periodical:	African Population Studies (ISSN 0850-5780)
Volume:	23
Pages:	179-198
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Botswana
Subjects:	AIDS attitudes
Abstract:	This paper investigates the impact of HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) on attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Botswana. Botswana has some of the highest HIV prevalence rates of any country in the world. While VCT is the gateway to free HIV/AIDS testing, treatment and care services, the low utilization of these services has failed to reflect both the seriousness of the epidemic and the fact that the services are free. Entrenched negative attitudes, stigma and fear of discrimination, and lack of male involvement have been blamed for the underutilization of VCT. This paper, which is based on an analysis of data from the 2004 Botswana AIDS Impact Survey, shows that HIV testing does influence attitudes towards PLWHA. A significant feature of Botswana's HIV testing pattern is the very high percentage of people who obtained their HIV test results, and the fact that virtually everyone who tested received both pre and post-test counselling. Bibliogr., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract]