Wanita dan HIV/AIDS di Malaysia: Punca jangkitan dari aspek sosiobudaya (Women and HIV/AIDS in Malaysia: Socio-cultural causes of infection)

Jangkitan Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) dan Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) di Malaysia yang mula dikesan pada 1986 dalam kalangan lelaki kini turut melibatkan kaum wanita, bahkan peratusannya melebihi kaum lelaki. Jangkitan HIV/AIDS dalam kalangan wanita tidak hanya melibatkan penagih dadah dan pelacur, tetapi juga suri rumah dan gadis remaja. Perubahan trend jangkitan ini memerlukan suatu penelitian mengapa masalah ini berlaku. Artikel ini bertujuan memahami sejarah hidup, mengenal pasti dan menginterpretasi faktor sosiobudaya yang menyebabkan jangkitan HIV/AIDS dalam kalangan wanita Melayu. Selain data sekunder, kajian ini menggunakan data primer yang diperolehi melalui temu bual secara mendalam ke atas 16 orang informan terdiri daripada wanita HIV/AIDS yang berada di luar dan dalam institusi penjara serta pusat serenti di Besut, Pasir Puteh, Bachok dan Kota Bharu. Kajian ini mendapati bahawa, faktor sosial adalah punca utama berlakunya jangkitan HIV/AIDS dalam kalangan wanita. Aspek kuasa, terutamanya dalam konteks hubungan seks selain kemiskinan, taraf pendidikan yang rendah dan tidak bekerja turut menjadi punca utama. Dengan meningkatkan kualiti hidup melalui pengurangan kadar kemiskinan, pengangguran dan inflasi, di samping peningkatan kadar celik huruf dan taraf kesihatan, risiko jangkitan HIV/AIDS dalam kalangan wanita di negara ini dapat dikurangkan. Katakunci: faktor jangkitan, faktor sosiobudaya, HIV/AIDS, ketaksamaan kuasa, pendidikan, wanita Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (AIDS) have been detected in Malaysia’s male population since 1986. Now the female population has also been found to have been infected with HIV/AIDS with even higher percentages than the males and not only among women who were involved in risky activities such as drug addiction and prostitution but also among housewives and teenage girls. This study examines socio-cultural factors that caused infection of HIV/AIDS among Malay women. Apart from secondary sources primary data were obtained through focus group study and in-depth interviews with 16 HIV/AIDS positive informants who were inmates of detention and rehabilitation centers located in Besut, Terengganu, Pasir Puteh, Bachok and Kota Bharu, Kelantan. This study found that the socio-cultural factor of unequal power relations in sexual contexts was the main cause of HIV/AIDS infection among these women. They were also victims of socio-economic deprivations such as poverty, lack of education and unemployment. Improving their standard of living and quality of life by improving their literacy, employment opportunities, and medical-health status, would go a long way in reducing their risk to HIV/AIDS infection. Keywords: education, HIV/AIDS, infection factors, power inequality, socio-cultural factors, women