Advancing the Wellbeing of Marginalized Communities: Stigma and Health Service Access and Utilization among People Living with AIDS

Dear Colleagues,

AIDS-related stigma and discrimination continue to be pervasive worldwide, hindering efforts to end the pandemic by 2030 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2021, Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+)  2023, HIV.gov 2023, UNAIDS 2020). The CDC defines HIV stigma as prejudice fueled by negative attitudes and beliefs about people living with AIDS (PLWA) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2021) and is characterized by the devaluation and otherization of stigmatized peoples (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2021). Data suggest that HIV stigma and discrimination are widespread in communities, in healthcare settings, and among healthcare providers. This negatively impacts testing, disclosure, treatment, retention in care, and adherence to medication, resulting in depression and social isolation (Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+)  2023, Bogart et al. 2013, UNAIDS 2021, UNAIDS 2017, UNAIDS 2019a). The stigmatization of PLWA violates their human rights, negatively impacts their health, and impedes global HIV responses (UNAIDS 2019b, UNAIDS and OHCHR 2006, UNAIDS 2017). Therefore, addressing stigma and its correlates is timely and fundamental to the creation of an AIDS-free world.

This Special Issue invites multidisciplinary manuscripts based on original research that addresses stigma in relation to health service access and utilization among PLWA. Systematic reviews that provide insight into the subject are welcome. Areas of focus include the following:

• The effects of HIV stigma and discrimination on PLWA and their communities;
• Understanding how stigmatized individuals/groups experience stigma and discriminatory practices in the access and utilization of healthcare services;
• Assessment of the best practices to confront stigma and discrimination at multiple levels using the social determinant of health framework;
• Highlighting groundbreaking interventions in stigma reduction.

We look forward to receiving your contributions to this important area of inquiry.

References

• (Bogart et al. 2013) Bogart, Laura M., Senica Chetty, Janet Giddy, Alexis Sypek, Laurel Sticklor, Rochelle P. Walensky, Elena Losina, Jeffrey N. Katz, and Ingrid V. Bassett. 2013. Barriers to care among people living with HIV in South Africa: contrasts between patient and healthcare provider perspectives. AIDS care 25: 843-53.
• (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2021) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2021. HIV stigma & discrimination. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/hiv-stigma/index.html (accessed on 5 March 2024).
• (Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+)  2023) Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+).  2023.  People Living with HIV Stigma Index 2.0. Global Report 2023. Hear Us Out: Community Measuring HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination. https://www.stigmaindex.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/PLHIV-Stigma-Index-Global-Report-2023-2.pdf (accessed on 5 March 2024).
• (HIV.gov 2023) HIV.gov. 2023. The Global HIV and AIDS Epidemic. https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/global-statistics/ (accessed on 5 March 2024).
• (UNAIDS and OHCHR 2006) UNAIDS and OHCHR. 2006. International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights. https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/documents/2006/20061023_jc1252-internguidelines_en.pdf (accessed on 5 March 2024).
• (UNAIDS 2017) UNAIDS.2017.Confronting discrimination: overcoming HIV related stigma and discrimination in health-care settings and beyond. https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/confronting-discrimination_en.pdf (accessed on 5 March 2024).
• (UNAIDS 2019a) UNAIDS.2019a.Galvanizing global ambition to end the AIDS epidemic after a decade of progress. https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2019/june/20190603_sg-report (accessed on 5 March 2024).
• (UNAIDS 2019b) UNAIDS.2019b. Global Partnership for Action to Eliminate All Forms of HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination. https://www.unaids.org/en/topic/global-partnership-discrimination (accessed on 5 March 2024).
• (UNAIDS 2020) UNAIDS. 2020. Evidence for Eliminating HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination - Guidance for Countries to Implement Effective Programmes to Eliminate HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination in Six Settings. https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/documents/2020/eliminating-discrimination-guidance (accessed on 5 March 2024).
• (UNAIDS 2021) UNAIDS.2021. HIV stigma and discrimination in the world of work: findings from the People Living with HIV Stigma Index. https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/07-hiv-human-rights-factsheet-stigma-discrmination_en.pdf (accessed on 5 March 2024).

Dr. Margaret Lombe
Dr. Ngozi Victoria Enelamah
Guest Editors

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