Poverty and Illness: Double Edged Sword Facing People Living With HIV/AIDS and HIV Discordant Couple

Study of awareness about health among HIV discordant couples (DCs), their problems and challenges, Govt. facilities available to them and the extent to which those facilities are being availed of by them. Data collected through socio-demographic tool, interpretative phenominological analysis and case study method from 4 DCs. Famine, social issues and psychological issues deteriorate quality of life of people leading to their migration. Famine and migration are also factors in the spread of HIV as famine leads to migration and migrated persons are more vulnerable. Most of the People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and DCs are economically weak. PLWHA experience more mental health problems than general population as stigma and discrimination adversely affect their mental health. They change home and job due to discrimination at workplace, fear of discrimination against their kids in school and discrimination by their neighbours leading to poorer wages and worse economic condition. Thus, they become poorer than general population and lead a stressful life. In India, we are not likely to meet Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by 2015. In India, many programmes have been launched by National AIDS Control Organization for the betterment of PLWHA and DCs. Still, PLWHA and DCs suffer more in India than in other countries. Intervention is urgently required for improving their mental and physical health and to improve their quality of life. Government should focus on vocational training of affected person to enhance their livelihood opportunities to improve their economic condition and of their family.