Janet noticed a rash in her private area. It was painful and had appeared out of nowhere. She was changing into her clothes when she noticed it. She was really worried about it because she did not know what it was. So, she called her friend, Sarah, to see if she could help her understand what this rash was. But Sarah was not sure too, so Janet decided to go into the hospital to see her doctor.
“Ever since Evelyn discovered that she was HIV positive, life has changed for the worse. Her boss at work fired her without any warning and at home, she is treated like a pariah. Traders refuse to sell to her and people mock her whenever she passes. The stigma is unbearable.”
Although, our understanding about HIV/AIDS, its transmission, and its management has greatly increased, social attitudes towards people with HIV/AIDS has largely remained the same. The fear surrounding the virus hasn’t faded and this is driven by the fact that people still seem to be unaware of the ways in which HIV is transmitted. Intense stigma and discrimination, mostly triggered by this fear, are some of the greatest challenges faced by people living with HIV and this has made life miserable for them.
Let’s examine some of the social ills and challenges faced by people living with HIV.
Majority of people living with HIV are reluctant to disclose their status to the people around them because of the negative stereotypes held about people with HIV. In places like Nigeria, the belief that HIV affects only prostitutes or will inevitably lead to death is still present. In other parts of the world, people living with HIV might automatically be labeled gay/bisexual, an intravenous drug user, someone who is unfaithful, or a sex worker. This can prevent people living with HIV from disclosing their status to their sexual partners, from getting tested, or using life-saving medication. This stereotyping takes place in schools, workplaces, and even health facilities.
Poor treatment at healthcare centers
Healthcare professionals play an essential role in ensuring that people living with HIV/AIDS can live a good life. They are responsible for providing necessary information, testing, advice, and treatment. Unfortunately, discrimination when trying to access compulsory health services remains a problem. Many times, this can take the form of: ridicule when trying to get tested or seek more information, isolating patients with HIV/AIDS or minimizing contact with them, enforcing compulsory HIV testing without due consent or counseling, or withholding drugs or preventative measures.
For women, they might be involuntarily sterilized, or proclaimed to be sex workers. Many times, the privacy and confidentiality of these patients are violated and they are treated without respect or dignity.
Mockery and ridicule at the household and community level
At the community level and within their homes, people living with HIV still face considerable levels of discrimination. Discrimination might take the form of neighborhood traders refusing to sell to them, mocking comments and songs thrown their way, and social isolation (people refusing to interact with them). In addition to stigma, girls and women live in fear of rejection. Rejection from their families/spouse means they could lose their children, home, source of income, and ability to survive.
Social isolation and rejection can cause them to move far away, lead to depression, low self-esteem, and suicide/thoughts of suicide.
Reduced employment opportunities
People living with HIV may be socially isolated, ridiculed by their co-workers or notice that the nature of the work they do has changed. In many cases, their status prevents them from finding work, being promoted at work, or becomes the reason why they lose their jobs. Discriminatory attitudes from managers and supervisors means that people living with HIV may have their jobs terminated unfairly.
Stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV/AIDS is a major concern, it affects their willingness to disclose their status, get tested, and even seek for medical help. Additionally, people at risk of contracting HIV are made more vulnerable because of stigma which prevents them from seeking more information or ways to protect themselves.