Irish HIV sufferers complain of bias

A STRIKING 95% of Irish HIV sufferers feel discriminated against because of their status, according to the preliminary findings of a recent European-wide survey.

In Ireland, 15 people lost their jobs at the time of the survey because of their HIV status, more than 46% of people were discriminated against in the workplace and 50% of respondents had trouble getting life assurance and mortgage protection policies.

In April, 2003, the European Network of Sexual Health (ENSH) issued the questionnaire on discrimination experienced by those living with HIV/AIDS.

This survey was conducted in nine European countries France, Germany, Holland, Austria, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Italy and Denmark through HIV/AIDS organisations.

Here, Poz Ireland, a non-profit charitable organisation, distributed the questionnaire in Ireland.

In this country 204 questionnaires were returned from HIV/AIDS treatment centres, organisations and Poz Ireland clients.

One hundred and ninety five people responded with 'yes' to the question 'Have you ever experienced discrimination or been stigmatised in your private/ social life because of your HIV status?'

On this question seven people answered 'no' but said that they had not publicly revealed their HIV status to anyone The European-wide results of the study are being compiled and will be published in early 2004.

Most recent health statistics show a 34% increase in the incidence of HIV among heterosexuals last year, with people born in sub-Saharan Africa accounting for almost 77 per cent of these new cases in Ireland.

The figures, published by the National Disease Surveillance Centre (NDSC), highlighted 364 cases of HIV in Ireland in 2002, a 22% increase on the previous year. Heterosexuals accounted for 63.5 % of these cases, compared with a figure of 13.7 % for injecting drug users, and 12.6 % for homosexual men.

HIV has been traditionally associated with the gay community and injecting drug users. But last year there was a drop of 37% in the number of gay or bisexual men contracting the disease. However, the number of infections in intravenous drug users increased by 32 % in the same period.