Understanding Hiv Aids Stigma

At a time when alarming numbers of people with HIV/AIDS seek help under cover of darkness, deeply ashamed of their plight, it is crucial to find ways to better comprehend and address the specific nature of stigma around HIV/AIDS in southern Africa.

Up until now, many articles have been written to portray stigma and discrimination which occur with people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in many parts of the world. But this is the first book which attempts to put together results from empirical research relating to stigma, discrimination and living with HIV/AIDS. The focus of this book is on issues relevant to stigma and discrimination which have occurred to individuals and groups in different parts of the globe, as well as how these individuals and groups attempt to deal with HIV/AIDS. The book comprises chapters written by researchers who carry out their projects in different parts of the world and each chapter contains empirical information based on real life situations. This can be used as an evidence for health care providers to implement socially and culturally appropriate services to assist individuals and groups who are living with HIV/AIDS in many societies. The book is of interest to health care providers who have their interests in working with individuals and groups who are living with HIV/AIDS from a cross-cultural perspective. It will be useful for students and lecturers in courses such as anthropology, sociology, social work, nursing, public health and medicine. In particular, it will assist health workers in community health centres and hospitals in understanding issues related to HIV/AIDS and hence provide culturally sensitive health care to people living with HIV/AIDS from different social and cultural backgrounds. The book is useful for anyone who is interested in HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in diverse social and cultural settings.

The publication provides a literature review of HIV/AIDS, Stima and Children.

"Based on two and a half years of fieldwork in China, this book examines the cultural genesis and social mechanisms of stigma related to mental illness and HIV/AIDS in China. It also explores the bio-politics on stigma through detailed description of social exclusion experienced by people suffering from mental illness or HIV/AIDS and by systematic comparison on stigma between the two illnesses in the Chinese context. Through the comparison, this book describes the micro socio-dynamic process of stigmatization in the local Chinese context, highlights the identity transformation accompanying the illness trajectory the patients and their families have lived through, and ultimately connects Chinese society and its community-centered social value system and institutional arrangement to the stigma associated with mental illness and HIV/AIDS."--Provided by publisher.

Although overall HIV prevalence in South Asia is low, the widespread stigma attached to HIV and AIDS impedes efforts to reach people most in need of prevention, care, and treatment services. To address this challenge, the 2008 South Asia Region Development Marketplace partnership, led by the World Bank, launched a competitive grants program to support innovative community approaches. 'Tackling HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination in South Asia' summarizes the monitoring, evaluation, and case study data and documents successful community innovations. Twenty-six community groups in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka received funds. The initiatives involved a broad spectrum, including vulnerable groups as well as people living with HIV, the media, local government authorities, health workers, and religious leaders. The interventions used traditional cultural and media approaches to discuss taboo subjects. The reach of the initiatives was amplifi ed by involving opinion leaders. The strategies engaged marginalized groups to design and lead the interventions and to facilitate contact between groups experiencing stigma and the general public to reduce fears and misconceptions about transmission. Projects that combined economic and stigma reduction interventions helped the marginalized populations to overcome the internalized stigma and become empowered to advocate for their rights. 'Tackling HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination in South Asia' identifies effective strategies to raise awareness and reports on shifts albeit slow of attitudes, norms, and behaviors. Through its recommendations for successful interventions to reduce barriers to effective HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs, the book provides a strong foundation on which to build stigma reduction efforts in the region and world.

In this innovative title, the authors describe unique patient populations affected by stigma and prejudice and the prevalence of these issues to all healthcare providers. Each chapter covers the forms of prejudice and stigma associated with minority statuses, including religious minorities, the homeless, as well as those stigmatized by medical serious medical conditions, such HIV/AIDS, obesity, and substance misuse disorders. The chapters focus on the importance of recognizing biological differences and similarities within such groups and describes the challenges and best practices for optimum healthcare outcomes. The text describes innovative ways to connect in a clinical setting with people of diverse backgrounds. The text also covers future directions and areas of research and innovative clinical work being done. Written by experts in the field, Stigma and Prejudice is an excellent resource for psychiatrist, psychologists, general physicians, social workers, and all other medical professionals working with stigmatized populations.