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Matthew Pain
Mrs. Jackie Burr, Instructor
English 1010, Section 5
November 3rd, 2015
HIV/AIDS
People living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) already suffer from severe bouts of
depression and many health complications, it doesnt help when you throw in the social
prejudices around each corner. Josh Robbins, a 30-year-old PLWHA, started a blog to support
fellow PLWHA and encourages them to stand up to social stigmas. He says, The only way that
my family would be OK would be for me to tell them face to face, for them to see me and look in
my eyes and see that Im still exactly the same person (QTD. in Holland). One of the hardest
challenges for PLWHA is telling their families that they tested positive for the disease all the
social stigmas tell you the disease is terminal and any form of a association will get you the
disease as well. Telling anyone the truth opens the door for the preconceived biases raised by
these stigmas.
Now what exactly is HIV/AIDS? Human immunodeficiency virus (abbreviated HIV) is a
virus that attacks the immune system slowly, making it harder for them to fight off other viruses
and diseases. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (abbreviated AIDS), it is the advanced
stage of HIV in which the person can no longer fight off infections or diseases and if left
untreated with the proper antiretroviral medications can lead to death (What are HIV and
AIDS?). Now days it is possible to live a longer and healthier lives as a PLWHA with the
medical advances that have come about. These advance require very strict drug therapies that
take a lot of the individuals time to be compliant with the measures set by medical staff. They

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require strict routine. The next step is changing the way people think about PLWHA so that there
are no more prejudices to be faced. For that to happen people need to be educated on the matter,
even patients need to be educated of the state of their disease as well as what it means for them.
Everyone should be aware of that the disease entails.
HIV/AIDS stigma and prejudices often come from misguided interaction with
information regarding the diseases. Thoughts that about it being an uncontrollable pandemic
(Collins 120). Or believing that people who have contracted the disease deserve to die from it
(Collins 120). These are both stigmas that can be corrected with the proper education. Joshua
Collins argues that, while the stigmas surrounding HIV and AIDS has changed in the last 30 or
40 years a lack of discussion on the subject is a root cause for the ongoing prejudices and only

that can change with proper education.

figure 1: HIV/AIDS In The Southern USA: A Disproportionate Epidemic
However, it can be argued that people should be more focused on eradicating the disease
altogether verses encouraging HIV/AIDS prevention and general education. Joshua Collins

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writes, A system of prejudice and judgement may contribute to at-risk individuals lack of
willingness to get tested (121). In figure 1 a visual representation of diagnoses rates in the
United States is shown. The graphic portrays that although some people might be unwilling to
get tested, this is not true for everyone.
The misconception/assumption that AIDS is terminal or often linked to death leaves room
for stigmatizing social aspects. In an article written by Kristin Grover, Carol Miller, Sheldon
Solomon, Russell Webster, and Donald Saucier the results of four studies conducted on
university students is discussed. The purpose of the four studies conducted was to establish
whether or not mortality salience (knowing you will inevitably die) affects a persons actions
or overall perception of PLWHA.
The potential terror caused by awareness of death is managed by cultural
worldviews. These humanly created symbolic conceptions of reality, shared by
group members, buffer anxiety by providing a sense of meaning and value in life.
Specifically, cultural worldviews typically account for the origins of the universe,
prescribe appropriate behavior, and explain what happens after death in a manner
that provides for the possibility of symbolic and or literal immortality. (Grover et
al. 316)
This potential terror affects the perceptions of people living with life threatening disease,
including HIV/AIDS. Making prejudices all that much more common. This only proves that
stigmas exist. Hoy-Ellis and Fredriksen-Goldsen wrote an article titled Is AIDS Chronic Or
Terminal? in which a study was conducted to do just that. It concluded that not only do people
who live without the disease believe that it is terminal, 37% of persons living with AIDS
perceive AIDS to be terminal rather than chronic (Hoy-Ellis 835). This is a surprising amount to

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be sure, this shows that the view of AIDS being terminal is still present even among patients.
Something has to be done about the stigmas supporting those ideas because it isnt terminal with
todays medical advances, educating people about HIV prevention and facts about what the
disease entails would put down those ideas raised by mortality salience. It isnt just about
educating the general public, it is educating patients as well about their disease. A good thing to
note about the studies conducted on mortality salience is that no specific test group was singled
out. It assured that people are affected by mortality salience, not certain groups. It doesnt matter
your race, gender, or sexual orientation; just as a disease is indiscriminatory.
Some social stigmas regarding the perceptions of PLWHA are dependent upon the
guiltiness of the person, whether or not theyre a threat to person who is without the disease. In
an article written by Houtsonen, Jarmokylma, Jarikorhonen, Teikavalimaki, Martittasuominen,
and Tarja, the idea that it is a common view that whether or not you are perceived to be guilty of
contracting HIV is explained. In the article it says, The perception of dangerousness may arouse
a sense of fear and lead to social avoidance (535). Meaning that whether or not the individual or
PLWHA is perceived to be dangerous will influence others views. An individual such as a drug
user might be viewed as dangerous and therefore make people more uncomfortable to interact
with them. Which is exactly what was concluded in surveys later conducted to prove that fear
and avoidance due to illness may lead to stigma. The question I would feel uncomfortable if in
contact with [...] who has HIV/AIDS had the categories of child, bisexual, homosexual,
prostitute, hemorrhagic disease patient, intravenous drug user, and average row profile. For the
options of prostitute, hemorrhagic disease patient, and intravenous drug user the responses for
agree were reportedly higher. With intravenous drug user being the highest. This shows that a
degree of uncomfortableness arguably fear, is associated with those perceived to dangerous. The

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survey also concludes that if the respondent has known a HIV positive person, they tended to be
less than averagely concerned about infection (356). This shows that knowing a PLWHA
reduces the level of uncertainty and fear, proving that education reduces stigmas.
Mental health and self management play a key role in the health of a PLWHA. With
stigmas contributing to the depression and other mental health problems of PLWHA it becomes
hard to stay positive and keep fighting the good fight. Millard, Elliot, and Girdler wrote SelfManagement Education Programs for People Living With HIV/AIDS: A Systematic Review.
Which discusses these ideas. They write, transition of HIV from an acute chronic condition
means that [PLWHA] are now required to take more responsibility for the management of their
condition (103). Living with a deadly disease requires strict drug regimens, that have to be
followed to the t. Patients cant be forced or constantly reminded when to take medications, it
becomes their responsibility. Taking the proper steps to adhere to the routine are hard, and for
some drastic. Which is why it becomes so important for the patient to be a part of their own
maintenance program, and to take action against the disease. This is why stigmas and social
prejudices really tear into what it means to be HIV positive.
The impact of HIV on the lives of positive individuals often results in social isolation,
depression, and withdrawal from previously enjoyed occupations and roles (105). With those
impacts in mind keeping that positive status to oneself due to fear of discrimination, limits the
medical services available to such individuals. Even at risk individuals are handicapped, crippled
by the fear of getting a positive result. The stigmas just create an endless cycle fear of
discrimination that keep the disease going. Once again this is why education is so important to
each person, at risk or not. HIV prevention education, and general HIV information could go a
long way to put down those stigmas and create a safer and healthier environment for people.

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Currently HIV prevention and general HIV information comes in random unstandardized
forms. Dexter Voisin wrote about the differences in sources of HIV prevention information in
young adults in an article titled In Their Own Words: Racial/Ethnic And Gender Differences In
Sources And Preferences For HIV Prevention Information Among Young Adults. It says,
Primary sources of HIV information were: television; educational and community health care
settings; family and friends; and to a lesser extent the Internet and music (1407). All of the
sources are unique ways to obtain information, and display the information differently altogether.
One route may stress the importance of avoiding contraction, while another focuses on getting
tested. Having a united stance on the subject would make information easier to digest, and
guided interaction with the information individuals would have more use out of what they are
learning.
Teaching this subject matter in schools may be one way to tackle the stigmas from the
ground up, if you start at the peak of a generation people teach each other. This can be seen with
any fade or style that has transitioned from the younger generations to the older ones. A mediocre
example being young adults being technology oriented, which has resulted in the older
generations modernizing as well (ex parents buying new cellphones and texting). Some
participants in the studies conducted by Voisin agreed that prevention messages would be more
effective if delivered by their regular peers (1408). Meaning the messages presented whether
through the media or other source regarding HIV prevention would be more effective if it were
someone similar to their own situation. This type of research would prove useful in the study of
how best to inform people on prevention and general HIV information.
Conclusion:

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Social stigmas surrounding HIV/AIDS are commonly on the subjects of contraction,

death association (mortality salience), and the fear of PLWHA. These stigmas only go as far as to
worsen persons living with HIV/AIDS experience with people living without the diseases.
Losing them support, and putting them again at a disadvantage. Meanwhile current education
methods are not very conducive to learning about HIV prevention and general information on the
disease, which in turn lead back to social stigmas and prejudices being made. To remedy that
new forms of education regarding HIV prevention and general information should be researched,
it has already been concluded that some individuals prefer peers to deliver these types of
information. The rest is up to the professionals.