Determinant factors correlated with discriminatory attitude towards people living with HIV in Indonesian population: demographic and health survey analysis

Introduction: Discrimination of people living with HIV (PLHIV) and its' various forms is a concerning issue. The purpose of this study was to examine HIV stigma and discriminatory behaviors among Indonesian women and men aged 15 to 49 years. Material and methods: This was a cross-sectional study that analyzed data from the 2017 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey, focusing on the discriminatory attitude. A stratified two-stage cluster design was utilized. Data included demographics (age, education, wealth index, and place of residence), knowledge of HIV, and discriminatory attitude towards PLHIV. Logistic multiple regression modelling examined the determinant factors towards PLHIV. A total of 49, 204 women aged 15 to 49 years, and males aged 15 to 54 years were included in this survey. Results: According to the findings, 85.1 percent of women and 85.7 percent of men presented discriminatory attitudes towards PLHIV. Older age (p = 0.00; 95% CI: 1.13-1.50%), richest group (p = 0.00; 95% CI: 0.69-0.93%), inhabiting rural area (p = 0.00; 95% CI: 1.11-1.33%), and comprehensive knowledge about HIV (p = 0.00; 95% CI: 0.45-0.53%) were the determinant factors of discriminatory attitudes towards PLHIV in women, while secondary education (p = 0.04; 95% CI: 1.00-5.09%) and richer group (p = 0.003; 95% CI: 0.483-0.859%) were the determinant factors in men. Conclusions: A large proportion of men and women in Indonesia continue to engage in discriminatory attitude towards PLHIV. Stigma and prejudice must be tackled in order to battle the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Indonesia. People should be informed about behavior modification strategies to prevent the disease from spreading.