Introduction
It is no secret that the stigma against people living with HIV/AIDS is a widespread concern that penetrates all spheres of citizens’ lives: in family, public life, as well as fields of employment and health. As practice shows, such a phenomenon often manifests in a biased and violently rude attitude towards “unusual people” and their relatives affected by the infection. Therefore, stigmatization, discrimination, and oppression of individuals with HIV/AIDS are among the most severe and significant problems in the modern world, requiring special attention.
Analysis and Research of the Problem
It is known that the stigma among individuals with HIV/AIDS is one of the pressing problems of our time, which worsens residents’ quality of life in many aspects. Hence, the experts say that despite the active struggle with this disappointing circumstance, most patients continue to face public condemnation as a common situation due to risk factors, serological status, and other personal characteristics (Kalan et al. 2019, 287). Furthermore, in addition to social prejudices, most “infected” have internal feelings and worries about their “illness” (Egbe et al. 2020, 1). For example, excessive psychological stress and non-compliance with the treatment regimen are the few effects accompanying a “branded” (Li et al. 2018, 453). Moreover, sometimes people who have not faced direct discrimination experience a general fear of discrimination and change their behavior accordingly. Thus, stigma can hinder receiving quality care and proper treatment, provoking the risk of infecting more people (Davila et al. 2018, 1335). Consequently, both external and internal aspects leave a unique imprint on HIV/AIDS patients, entailing several harmful consequences simultaneously at the micro, meso, and macro levels, not only in individual regions but also throughout the world.
Thus, minimizing and eliminating HIV/AIDS-related stigma is a primary and vital task for the whole society. Consequently, in this case, it is recommended to pay special attention to the development and implementation of policies to combat HIV/AIDS stigmatization from the point of view of taking into account the interests of older people and educating citizens about the ways and means of transmission of the virus (Egbe et al. 2020, 6). In addition, medical specialists and others can also help in planning special tactics and strategies, preventing the development and spread of a specific problem (Armoon et al. 2021, 1004). These interventions should consider gender, culture, and social and economic status, and in the future, it will be possible to create support groups for people with HIV/AIDS (Armoon et al. 2021, 1004). Therefore, in these initiatives, not only the results obtained are essential, but also the process itself within the framework of the participation of all stakeholders.
Conclusion
Summarizing the information mentioned above, it should be noted that the problem of stigmatization of people with HIV/AIDS requires an extraordinary approach and solution since ignoring it can lead to severe and even fatal consequences for the whole world. Many people infected with the infection experience stress and anxiety, fearing condemnation from society; as a rule, they do not seek help from specialists and let the problem take its course, which is fundamentally wrong. Accordingly, it is necessary to take clear and prompt measures from the countries’ governments, healthcare professionals, and others interested in the issue. Hence, through collaboration and working together, there is a high probability of correcting the situation and curing the nations.
References
Armoon, Bahram, Peter Higgs, Marie-Josée Fleury, Amir-Hossien Bayat, Ladan Fattah Moghaddam, Azadeh Bayani, and Yadollah Fakhri. 2021. “Socio-Demographic, Clinical and Service Use Determinants Associated with HIV Related Stigma Among People Living With HIV/AIDS: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.”BMC Health Serv Res 21:1004.
Davila, Jessica A., Howard J Cabral, Manisha H. Maskay, Ruthanne Marcus, Yiyang Yuan, Nicole Chisolm, Pamela Belton, Lisa McKeithan, and Serena Rajabuin. 2018. “Risk Factors Associated with Multi-Dimensional Stigma Among People Living With HIV/AIDS Who Are Homeless/Unstably Housed.”Psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV 30 (10):1335-1340.
Egbe, Thomas Obinchemti, Cynthia Adanze Nge, Hermann Ngouekam, Etienne Asonganyi, and Dickson Shey Nsagha. 2020. “Stigmatization Among People Living With HIV/AIDS At the Kumba Health District, Cameroon.”Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (JIAPAC) 19:1-7.
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Li, Zhen, Jamie P. Morano, Kaveh Khoshnood, Evelyn Hsieh, and Yu Sheng. 2018. “HIV-Related Stigma Among People Living With HIV/AIDS In Rural Central China.” BMC Health Serv Res 18:453.