Overcoming HIV/AIDS stigma in the Workplace
Launch of Art Revelations
Latest addition to RESPECT- HPB s HIV/AIDS education programme for workplaces
A high proportion of workplaces acknowledge that HIV/AIDS will impact the productivity, morale and culture of their employees, yet few workplaces have HIV/AIDS education programmes to educate on the disease and misconceptions in their organisations.
Current status of HIV/AIDS workplace programmes
The National Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) Survey 2006 conducted by the Health Promotion Board (HPB) revealed that only 7.4% of the 688 companies surveyed reported that they had a HIV/AIDS education programme at their workplace. This is much lower than the 42% of companies that had an exercise programme, and 39% that had a nutrition programme available in their organisation.
Perceived impact of HIV/AIDS on workplaces
Among the companies which responded to the WHP Survey, 75% agreed that HIV/AIDS would affect the company s productivity, 81% agreed that HIV/AIDS would affect the company s staff morale and disrupt working relationships, and 82% agreed that companies could play a part in addressing the issues connected with HIV/AIDS. 35% of the companies cited the lack of expertise to organise HIV/AIDS education programmes for not having such a programme in their workplaces.
A high proportion of companies acknowledged that HIV/AIDS would impact on their workplaces, yet are reluctant to implement HIV/AIDS education programmes in their organisations. This could be indicative of a prevailing social stigma towards HIV/AIDS and misconceptions about the disease.
RESPECT at Workplaces
To dispel the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS , HPB will launch the Art Revelations to enhance the existing RESPECT ( Rallying Employers to Support the Prevention, Education and Control of STIs/HIV/AIDS), programme introduced in 2006.
The Art Revelations will be launched by Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts on 17 July 2007 .
Art Revelations comprises a collection of seven thought-provoking art installations which confront their audiences to question their attitudes towards HIV/AIDS. The installations depict common misconceptions about HIV/AIDS through exaggerated interpretations of the common myths and misconceptions of the infection. The installations are portable and can be easily displayed in various locations at workplaces. Please see Annex 2 for details on Art Revelations.
Education is paramount to dispell the stigma of HIV/AIDS. Studies have shown that when employees have greater knowledge of the transmission of HIV/AIDS, they will have more favourable attitudes towards persons with HIV/AIDS. Through RESPECT and Art Revelations, we want to educate employees on the facts of HIV/AIDS. We also want to jolt people to question their response towards persons with HIV/AIDS This is important if we want to encourage greater openness and reduce the stigma attached to it, said Mr Lam Pin Woon, Chief Executive Officer, Health Promotion Board.
Companies which would like to take up the RESPECT programme in its totality or any of its individual components, can contact HPB by emailing HPB_CDE@hpb.gov.sg or by calling Tel: 6435-3178. More information on the RESPECT programme is available at www.hpb.gov.sg
Besides being displayed at workplaces, Art Revelations will also be touring shopping malls and other public areas. Members of the public can view them at the shopping malls of Raffles City, Jurong Point, Marina Square (Groove Nation), Ang Mo Kio Hub and HDB Hub from 17 July 2007.
For more details on
1) RESPECT
2) Art Revelations
3) Statements from Companies in support of RESPECT
HPB National Workplace Health Promotion Survey 2006 The overall response rate was 40.1%, with the survey conducted among companies that had 50 or more employees.
This is a composite figure of companies which either agreed or strongly agreed with the WHP Survey statements.
Barr JK, Waring JM, Warshaw LJ. Knowledge and attitudes about AIDS among corporate and public service employees. American Journal of Public Health. 1992; 82 (2) 225-8