REASONS WHY THERE IS STIGMA RELATED TO HIV AND AIDS?

The fact that HIV/AIDS is a relatively new disease also contributes to stigma attached to it. The fear surrounding the emerging epidemic in 1980’s is still fresh in many people’s minds. At that time very little was known about the transmissibility of virus which made people scared of those infected due to fear of contagion.

CAUSES OF HIV/AIDS

Morality-view that people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHAs) are sinners, promiscuous, unfaithful, `` sleeping around. ``people’s beliefs-about pollution, contagion, impurity, fear of infection, fear of unknown , fear of death and ignorance. Lack of knowledge and misconception makes people fear physical contact with PLHAs. Inferiority and superiority complex. Gender and poverty where by woman and poor people are more stigmatized than men or rich people. In other words women are forced by poverty to do transactional or commercial sex where by poor people who are malnourished are stigmatised by looks.

FORMS OF HIV/AIDS RELATED STIGMA AND DISRIMINATION

The name-calling, scapegoating,figer pointing, teasing, ridicule,labelling,blaming, shaming, judging, backbiting,rumors, gossiping, making assumption, suspecting, neglecting, rejecting, isolating and physical violence. Stigmatisation can cause effects like shame, denial, self-isolation, loneliness, neglect, loss of hope, depression, death ,alcoholism, isolation and self-rejection- giving up on one self. Self-blame, self-pity and self –hatred.Withrawal from public activities, becoming very quiet, commit suicide or start thinking about suicide .The story of epidemic of fear, stigmatization and discrimination has undermined the ability of individuals. Families and societies to protect themselves and provide support and reassurances to those affected. This hinders in no small way efforts at stemming the epidemic. It complicates decision about testing, disclosure of status and ability to negotiate prevention behaviours including use of family planning services. AIDS related stigma has had a profound effect on the epidemic’s course .The WHO cites fear of stigma and discrimination as the main reasons why people are reluctant to be tested to disclose HIV status or to take antiretroviral drugs.  These factors all contribute to expansion of epidemic as reluctance to determine HIV status or discuss or practise safe sex means that are more likely to infect others and higher number of AIDS related to deaths. An unwillingness to take an HIV test means that people are diagnosed late when virus has already progressed to AIDS making treatment less effective and causing early death. In conclusion self-stigma and fear of a negative community reaction can hinder efforts to address the AIDS epidemic by perpetuating the wall of silence and shame surrounding the epidemic.

STIGMA AND HIV/AIDS

STIGMA AND HIV/AIDS

Stigma stems from the human proclivity to judge themselves and others. Based on those judgments, we categorize or stereotype people not necessarily based on factual or actual circumstances or evidence but on what we society deem as inappropriate, unusual shameful or unacceptable. Stigmatization occurs in all aspects to human life. A person can be stigmatised because of anything from disease, birth defects and mental illnesses to sexual preference. Occupation and economic status.

Stigma can be associated with a wide variety of diseases. In today stigma connotes ignominy a discrediting effect an ``undesired differentness. ’Theoretically stigma can be defined as the imposition of special, discrediting and unwanted mark on person or specific category of persons in such a way that they are looked at fundamentally and ``shamefully different’’. The mark of imposed on people who have or are believed to have a distinctive status or a`` deviances’ ‘as it is called in sociology. The mark is usually non –material but in certain instances, the differentiation process has gone as far as translating material things e.g. Mutilation to human body and tattoos brand. In these cases stigmatized persons are not only looked at as different they appear unmistakably different. Their differences show sometimes confinement in specially designated areas is also used as a material way to visualize the differences and to draw a boundary that separates from human beings.

                        HIV-related stigma refers to all unfavourable attitudes, beliefs and polices directed towards people perceived to have HIV/AIDS as well as towards their significant others and loved ones. Close associates, social groups and communities patterns of prejudice which include devaluating, discounting, discrediting and discriminating against these groups of people. Play  into and strengthen existing social inequalities especially those of gender, sexuality and race that are at the root of HIV –related stigma. HIV infection fits the profile of a condition that carries a high level of stigmatization. AIDS-related sigma refers to the prejudice and discrimination directed at people living with HIV/AIDS and communities that are associated with it. AIDS stigma is expressed around the world in variety of ways including ostracism, rejection and voidance of discrimination and violence against compulsory HIV testing without prior consent or protection of confidentiality and quarantine of a person with HIV. AIDS stigma inflicts suffering on people and interferes with attempts to fight the epidemic. HIV/AIDS related stigmatization starts as soon as information regarding a person’s serostatus is known. It is  the process whereby the person is looked at in many different ways all of them negative and judgmental soon after he/she is  known  or suspected to be HIV Positive. In conclusion stigma cannot take you far moreover love each other knowing that stigmatization is a bad enemy to society.