The main thrust of the study was to explore the correlation between socio-economic
status and discrimination among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA)
and non-infected people in two local government areas (LGAs) of Lagos state:
Lagos Mainland, an urban setting, and Epe, a rural one. Multistage and systematic
sampling techniques were used in 40 enumeration areas (25 in Lagos Mainland
and 15 in Epe) to obtain a sample of 1,611 non-infected respondents and a
purposive sample of 80 PLWHA. Interviews and focus group discussions were conducted
from September 2005 to April 2006. Data were analyzed using the Statistical
Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) while hypotheses were tested by
multivariate logistic regression analysis. The results showed that many noninfected
respondents exhibited discriminatory attitudes in different situations
involving potential contacts with the PLWHA. The study also indicated that significant
proportions of PLWHA experienced rejection, abandonment, eviction,
isolation and alienation within their families and communities. It was revealed
that education, place of residence, gender, and marital status were significant
predictors of discrimination. Contrary to our argument that women were more
vulnerable to discrimination than men, the reverse was the case in this study.
Widowed/separated/divorced PLWHA suffered more discrimination than those in
other categories of marital status. Empowerment of PLWHA, Intensive mass HIV
education and enforcement of national and international legal instruments were
recommended among others.