Stigma of Hiv/Aids - 1812 Words

Stigma of HIV/AIDS It goes without saying that HIV and AIDS are as much about social phenomena as they are about biological and medical concerns. From the moment scientists identified HIV and AIDS, social responses of fear, denial, stigma, and discrimination have accompanied the epidemic. Discrimination has spread rapidly, fuelling anxiety and prejudice against the groups most commonly affected, as well as those living with HIV or AIDS. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of education and misconceptions that have developed about the disease. Some individuals affected (or believed to be affected) by HIV have even been rejected by their families, their loved ones, and their communities. This rejection holds as true in the rich†¦show more content†¦Rejection caused by discrimination, as well as the negative stigma that accompanies AIDS, is proving itself to not only be a major problem in rich countries like the US, but also poorer countries like Thailand. In an October 2006 issue of the New York Times, author Seth Mydan states that, â€Å"Thailand has made little headway in easing a harsh stigma that was fed by its successful campaign against the disease. As more people are living longer, more are becoming outcasts in a family-based society where it is difficult to blend into the crowd.† Discrimination against those who have survived on medications is leading many victims into isolation. In an attempt to form unity among these people, survivors have formed various self-help networks where they can be happy among friends and not have to worry about being discriminated against. Also, with the support of the government, intensive-care wards have been set up at different locations around Thailand giving the people who are infected with HIV/AIDS somewhere to go to be treated with medications and loving care. In response to the major discrimination that most HIV/AIDS victims face, the national government, as well as local and state agencies, has developed laws to help stop major discrimination. On the national level there are two federal laws that protect persons living with HIV/AIDS from discrimination. These laws include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation ActShow MoreRelatedStigma Of Hiv And Aids918 Words   |  4 PagesWith the recent passing of World AIDS day on December 1st, 2015, which followed Charlie Sheen’s recent disclosure of him being HIV-positive, revealed sad realties about society’s relations to HIV and AIDS. So it seems opportune that this paper shed some light on the issue of stigma in relation to HIV and AIDS. This paper supports the notions that although stigma around HIV status has come a long way since its inception as an infectious disease in the 1980s, HIV stigma has not yet come to an end. AsRead MoreThe Stigma Of Hiv / Aids1921 Words   |  8 Pagesknown as AIDS were diagnosed in the early 1980s, people with HIV/AIDS have been stigmatized. Over time, there have been many misconceptions about this disease. Even though there have been many discoveries, and treatments for HIV have improved over time, there are still many people who understand very little about this disease. This lack of understanding, along with fear, misinformation about how the disease is transmitted, and â€Å"moral† judgments made about the types of people who contract HIV, all haveRead MoreHiv/Aids Stigma and Discrimination1338 Words   |  6 PagesCepeda Social Psychology HIV/AIDS Stigma and Discrimination Strayer University November 19, 2011 Internationally, there has been a recent resurgence of interest in HIV and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination, triggered at least in part by growing recognition that negative social responses to the epidemic remain pervasive even in seriously affected communities. Yet, rarely are existing notions of stigma and discrimination interrogated for their conceptual adequacy and their usefulness inRead MoreEssay on The Stigma Attached to HIV and AIDS1674 Words   |  7 PagesStigma and seroconversion are a few familiar words that come to mind when dealing with HIV/AIDS. These are a few processes that people go through when they are indentified as being HIV positive. This is when their life on whole comes into contrast. This is so because people often take things like sex for granted and it is because of this some can’t live a healthy lifestyle. Just imagine finding out that you are positive. How will society accept you? What about the stigmatization that one goes throughRead Mo reGender Stigma Behind The Hiv And Aids Epidemic Essay1717 Words   |  7 Pagesthis day is the gay stigma behind the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Yes, it is fact that majority of gay men are HIV-infected but, it was said that to have AIDS was only a â€Å"gay thing† back in the 1980’s, which it is not. To this day, it influences many of our elders or parents that lived during the 1980’s that witnessed the huge outbreak. If we look at the show called Empire created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong in the episode called â€Å"The Creative Dilemma† we will find it to be a stigma referring back toRead MoreStigma And Discrimination Face By People Living With Hiv / Aids2558 Words   |  11 PagesStigma and discrimination face by people living with HIV/AIDS The concept of â€Å"stigma† was thoroughly researched and defined by Roura et al., (2009) as â€Å"a special kind of relationship between attribute and stereotype† when the attribute is â€Å"deeply discrediting†. Although, literature on stigma is approximately 40 years old, it is still widely referenced to introduce the term and discuss its implications. All cultures have shared beliefs and meanings which help them interpret experiences and behaviorRead MoreEssay on Impact of Stigma of HIV-AIDS in the South African Workplace1497 Words   |  6 Pagesstudy is â€Å"Impact of Stigma of HIV/AIDS in the South African workplace.† This falls under a discipline of business management in the financial management degree I am currently doing and one of the key areas of focus within business management is workplace challenges. I believe that HIV/AIDS stigmas are challenges regularly faced in the South African work environment. The purpose of this research review is to gain insight and deeper understanding of what workplace stigma towards HIV/AIDS is in the workplaceRead MoreWhy Stigma Is A Profound Effect On A Person Affected By Hiv / Aids2052 Words   |  9 Pages This essay will discuss why stigma has a profound effect on a person affected by HIV/AIDS. It will first look at the definitions of stigma and explain the process and types of stigma. It will explain how people with HIV/AIDS can be affected by stigma. It will then look at the key characteristics found in stigma and explain why people with HIV/AIDS are stigmatised. It will further look at how stigma may have affected a person with HIV/AIDS in the 1980’s compared to how it may affect a person postRead MoreDeveloping A Health Advocacy Campaign For Hiv Stigma Reduction899 Words   |  4 Pagesa health advocacy campaign for HIV stigma reduction. In our project, we illustrate the significant impact of the stigma towards the population infect ed with HIV/AIDS and suggest a potential advocacy campaign to reduce the stigma and incidence of this epidemic. Through this project, I learned what a lot of people don’t understand, is that anyone can be affected at anytime if they put themselves in a situation where they could be at risk. People identified as being HIV positive, go through a tremendousRead MoreThe Effects of HIV Related Stigma 790 Words   |  3 Pagesto control the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The fact is that poor understanding of the related issues of stigma, discrimination and denial has hampered national and international programs. (3,4,5) HIV/AIDS is not merely a medical problem, but a social problem as well (1). Stigma and discrimination are as central to the global AIDS challenge as the disease itself. (2) HIV-related stigma and discrimination can be described as a devaluating process of PLWHA where discrimination is enacted stigma comprising unfair