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The Effects of Stigma on Controlling Hiv and Aids

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The Effects of Stigma on Controlling Hiv and Aids
The effects of stigma on controlling HIV and AIDS

This essay aims to explain the social ideologies of prejudice and stigmatisation towards individuals infected with HIV/AIDS. It will discuss the issues surrounding the control of the HIV/AIDS disease and examine differential theories to explain the implementations of social discources on those who fear stigmatisation, due to their condition.
HIV-related stigma and discrimination refers to prejudice, negative attitudes, abuse, ‘people and objects associated with it’ (Walker, L. 2007:79). Due to the effects of stigmatisation individuals carrying HIV/AIDS can be ostracised by family and the surrounding community. Stigmatisation towards HIV can be perceived to cause individual psychological damage. This can be seen to negatively affect the success of public health education towards the issues of HIV, and the acknowledgement of acceptance of individual sufferers within society. This causes a negative effect on the control and treatment of HIV.
AIDS stigma and discrimination exist worldwide, although they are differently persecuted across countries, communities, religious groups and individuals, ‘the social, cultural, economic and political reaction to AIDS is as central to the global challenges of AIDS itself (Mann 1987 cited in Walker, L. 2007: 80).
Community level stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV/AIDS is found all over the world. A community’s reaction to somebody living with HIV/AIDS can have a profound effect on that person’s life. If the reaction is hostile a person may be ostracised and discriminated against and may even be forced to leave their home, or have to change their daily activities such as work or socialising to prevent degradation.
Parker and Aggleton (2003) describe that HIV/AIDS stigma exacerbates pre- existing social divisions by stereotyping and blaming marginalised groups as being responsible for the spread of disease. An example of this can relate to African, ethnic


Bibliography: Hart, G. and Carter, S. (2000) ‘Drugs and risk: developing a sociology of HIV risk behaviour’ in, Williams. S. Et al. (eds) ‘Health, Medicine and Society; Key Theories, Future Agendas’. London: Routledge. pp 109- 123 Sontag, S Walker, L. (2007) ‘HIV/AIDS; Challenging Stigma by Association’ in Burke, P and Parker, J. (eds) Social work and Disadvantage; Addressing the Roots of Stigma Through Association. Philadelphi; Liz Walker Publications, pp 79 - 97 Internet Carricaburu, D. and Pierret, J. (2008) ‘From biograiriiical disruption to biographical reinforcement: the case of HIV-positive men’ [Online], Available at; http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119244772/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0 Crane, J. et al (2002) ‘Come back when you 're dying ': the commodification of AIDS among California 's urban poor’ Social Science and Medicine 55 (7) 2002, 1115-27. [Online] Available at; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12365525. Kibirige, J. (1997). 'Population growth, poverty and health, ' Social Science & Medicine 45 (2): 247-259[Online] Available at; http://www.sciencedirect.com Accessed 40/03/2010 Pecheny, M et al
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