Attitudes towards HIV in the workplace

In the wake of new legislation outlawing HIV discrimination in the workplace, the National AIDS Trust, today Friday 7 April, launches the results of an Ipsos MORI poll revealing supportive attitudes to people living with HIV in the workplace.

The Ipsos MORI survey also repeated some questions from a similar survey in 2000 - responses revealed that while perceived HIV related stigma and discrimination remains unacceptably high, it has declined from the levels of five years ago.

Attitudes at work

In general fewer people believe that those infected with HIV through sex without a condom have only themselves to blame than five years ago (44% in 2005 compared to 57% in 2000)

Over half the people surveyed said they would feel comfortable working with someone living with HIV (57% overall and 63% of under 55s)

Two in three people (65%) are aware that it is illegal to discriminate against someone living with HIV at work

However ignorance and prejudice about people living with HIV still exists:

7% of people believe that people living with HIV donít deserve the same kind of support as people with cancer.
Young people were least likely to think that people living with HIV can work like anyone else, 54% compared to 66% among people generally.
14% overall did not know whether or not they would feel comfortable working with a colleague who had HIV and a further 12% expressly disagreed.


Deborah Jack, chief executive of the National AIDS Trust said: The Disability Discrimination Act requires all employers not to discriminate against people living with HIV. This Ipsos MORI survey shows that the majority of people have supportive attitudes to HIV positive colleagues in the workplace.

But it also reveals continuing high levels of ignorance which must be addressed through workplace HIV policies and training.

NAT is also re-launching its website at www.nat.org.uk on 7 April. The site has been re-structured to act as a portal on current HIV policies. The new site is interactive and encourages people to get involved by signing up to campaigns and feeding back views and experiences.