| Caste- and Ethnicity-based Inequalities in HIV/AIDS-related Knowledge Gap: A Case of Nepal |
| Authors: |
Madhu Atteraya, HeeJin Kimm, and In Han Song |
| Source: |
Health & Social Work, Advance Access published February 19, 2015; doi: 10.1093/hsw/hlv010 |
| Topic(s): |
Ethnicity
HIV/AIDS
Inequality
|
| Country: |
Asia
Nepal
|
| Published: |
FEB 2015 |
| Abstract: |
Caste- and ethnicity-based inequalities are major obstacles to achieving health equity. The
authors investigated whether there is any association between caste- and ethnicity-based
inequalities and HIV-related knowledge within caste and ethnic populations. They used the
2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally represented cross-sectional study
data set. The study sample consisted of 11,273 women between 15 and 49 years of age. Univariate
and logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between caste- and
ethnicity-based inequalities and HIV-related knowledge. The study sample was divided into
high Hindu caste (47.9 percent), “untouchable” caste (18.4 percent), and indigenous populations
(33.7 percent). Within the study sample, the high-caste population was found to have
the greatest knowledge of the means by which HIV is prevented and transmitted. After
controlling for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, untouchables were the least
knowledgeable. The odds ratio for incomplete knowledge about transmission among indigenous
populations was 1.27 times higher than that for high Hindu castes, but there was no
significant difference in knowledge of preventive measures. The findings suggest the existence
of a prevailing HIV knowledge gap. This in turn suggests that appropriate steps need to be
implemented to convey complete knowledge to underprivileged populations.
KEY WORDS: castes; ethnicity; HIV/AIDS; knowledge; Nepal |
|