Transcript
One of the key findings was the high level among participants of what the researchers have dubbed 'internal stigma.'
Over 70 percent of respondents reported feelings of shame or guilt, that they blamed themselves or had low self-esteem during the period of the study through last year.
Twenty-two percent of those participants had felt suicidal because of the social exclusion.
Regional coordinator of the study, Jokapeci Cati, says internal stigma is high among males in Vanuatu.
"Particularly for male participants, in terms of internal stigma, they're more severe compared to female because in Vanuatu, none of the male wanted to come out, so either the Vanuatu report only documents the female version of stigma and discrimination. There's no male respondents for Vanuatu."
The national programme manager for HIV, Caleb Garae, says traditional customs in Vanuatu make it harder for men to be open about living with HIV.
"Most don't have the heart to appear or come out to the public that they are positive and some just don't want their partners to know, so one of the reasons is because of the custom value. Male seems to be the dominating the home and seeing that the male being positive, the family doesn't look good, that's how the negative way of seeing things."
Seven countries took part in the study, including the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Tonga, Samoa and Palau.
Ms Cati says none of them have laws or policies that focus on HIV.
"At the moment there is no HIV law in all seven countries and no specific policy that tries to address stigma and discrimination in different level, so policy makers they could be a audience to the findings and learn about the different policies that needs to be established."
The study is having an impact.
Vanuatu plans to update its national policy on HIV following the study.
In the FSM, Pohnpei passed a HIV and care services law in 2008, but it is only in English.
The director of Pohnpei's department of health and social services, Kapilly Capelle, says it needs to be translated for people to understand more about the virus.
"The policies required on what happen when there are discriminatory acts that are levelled against those victims and there are penalties like imprisonment, fines for institutions or employment places or even hospitals that discrimination is found then they may lose their licence."
The data from the study has been distributed to all seven nations to help groups supporting people living with HIV.
The HIV coordinator in Pohnpei, Nancy Edwards, says education is starting to make a difference there.
"We've had HIV patients that come to Pohnpei and we took them around to meet the women's group and other groups. Even the schools and that was a progress. It was really good. People like to listen to those that are living with HIV."
Caleb Garae says church support for the victims has been crucial in Vanuatu.
"There's very limited service for people living with HIV. We have this church support is still big here. The churches do help a lot, mentoring them, giving them hope, praying with them and making them like feeling like back to normal."
Of the seven countries studied Kiribati had the most people reported to be living with HIV and Tonga had the least, with just four.
