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MAY 30, 2023
Addressing Stigma and Discrimination Against People Living With HIV
Kevin Astle, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, AAHIVP, CDCES, and Tam Phan, PharmD, AAHIVP
The relationship between HIV and stigma is long-standing and intertwined, with far-reaching implications for those living with the disease. In the early days of the HIV epidemic, HIV/AIDS was commonly called as “gay cancer,” causing LGBTQIA+ people and those living with HIV to experience profound shame and discrimination. The derogatory term “4H club” also emerged, further stigmatizing individuals at risk, including those who injected heroin, those with hemophilia and Haitian people. Another early name for AIDS was “gay-related immune deficiency,” or GRID. It was not until 1984 that HIV was characterized as the cause for AIDS and AIDS-related illnesses. While treatment advancements and knowledge of HIV have improved significantly over the years, HIV-related stigma persists today, with similar social discourses continuing to perpetuate negative attitudes toward people living with HIV.
HIV-related stigma interacts with structural inequities and may be exacerbated for populations marginalized due to their risk behaviors (eg, injection drug use), demographic characteristics (eg, socioeconomic status), and identity (eg, sexual orientation).1-3 HIV stigma occurs at multiple levels: interpersonal, institutional, community, and legislative. It can also take multiple forms, including being isolated, ridiculed, physically abused, denied services, and denied employment. These manifestations differ by multiple intersecting factors, including gender, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status, thus reflecting the underlying power dynamics within a society. Furthermore, local cultural practices and beliefs often legitimize HIV stigma.2,4
Continue reading... https://www.idse.net/Review-Articles/Article/05-23/Addressing-Stigma-and-Discrimination-Against-People-Living-With-HIV/70196
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