Stigma /ˈstiɡmə/ : negative beliefs, feelings, and attitudes that people and institutions hold against groups of people.
Stigma remains a significant challenge for people living with HIV in Canada and affects the health and well-being of people living with HIV. It also negatively impacts HIV prevention efforts.
What does HIV stigma come from and how does it affect people living with HIV?
HIV stigma often arises from fear, lack of knowledge, and existing prejudices against the groups of people most affected by the virus. These include gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, Indigenous people, and people who inject drugs.
Because of stigma, people living with HIV may have a hard time finding housing, accessing healthcare, or securing employment. They may also face emotional and mental health challenges associated with isolation or discrimination they experience in the workplace, at school, in social settings, or among family.
Because of stigma, people living with HIV may have a hard time finding housing, accessing healthcare, or securing employment. They may also face emotional and mental health challenges associated with isolation or discrimination they experience in the workplace, at school, in social settings, or among family.
How does stigma impact HIV in canada?
Stigma can stop people from talking openly about HIV with health care providers, and can make it harder to get tested regularly and know their status. It can also cause people living with HIV to feel uncomfortable disclosing their status to their partners, as their partners may react in a stigmatizing way. People living with HIV who experience stigma are also more likely to miss check-ups with doctors or access medications due to fears of being 'outed' or discomfort speaking with others about their status.When people living with HIV miss out on health care, their HIV health can worsen, including an increase in their viral load.
What can I do to help end HIV stigma?
Learn more about HIV, and share what you've learned with others. If you're on this website, you've made a great start!
Be mindful of how you use your language. Don't say things that might make people living with HIV feel blamed, shamed, or unwanted. For example, if you do not have HIV and you refer to yourself as "clean", it implies that people living with HIV are dirty, which is untrue and stigmatizing. To learn more about destigmatizing language, check out this guide from our partners at YouthCo.
If someone shares with you that they are living with HIV, show them that you care. Thank them for sharing this with you, and ask if there is anything you can do to help them feel supported. Being open-minded, lending a listening ear, and having a warm conversation can all go a long way.
Be mindful of how you use your language. Don't say things that might make people living with HIV feel blamed, shamed, or unwanted. For example, if you do not have HIV and you refer to yourself as "clean", it implies that people living with HIV are dirty, which is untrue and stigmatizing. To learn more about destigmatizing language, check out this guide from our partners at YouthCo.
If someone shares with you that they are living with HIV, show them that you care. Thank them for sharing this with you, and ask if there is anything you can do to help them feel supported. Being open-minded, lending a listening ear, and having a warm conversation can all go a long way.
