Journal of the International AIDS Society publishes special issue on HIV and stigma

29 July 2022

29 July 2022 (Montreal, Canada) – The Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS) has launched a special issue, titled “Getting to the heart of stigma across the HIV continuum of care”, at AIDS 2022, the 24th International AIDS Conference.

The content of the special issue was guided by Guest Editors Lucy Stackpool-Moore (International AIDS Society, Switzerland, and Watipa, Australia), Carmen H Logie (University of Toronto, Canada) and Allanise Cloete (Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa).

Despite decades of scientific advances in HIV prevention and treatment, the failure to progress in the global HIV response directly connects to intersecting individual and structural stigmas and discrimination from service provision to service uptake. Research shows that HIV-related stigma acts as a barrier to accessing prevention methods, HIV testing uptake, treatment initiation and adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Yet, the impacts of stigma and discrimination across the HIV care continuum are often overlooked.

This special issue draws attention to HIV-related and intersecting stigma and discrimination across the HIV prevention and care continuum, providing a state-of-the-field update about the latest concepts, innovative research methods and strategies to reduce stigma and its harmful effects.

Taken together, the collection of articles offers insights into a range of health conditions and social identities that shape lived experiences of stigma through a variety of methodologies, including qualitative, quantitative, systems mapping and systematic review. Examples of resilience, good practice and community leadership are presented.

Efforts to reduce new HIV acquisitions and improve HIV prevention and treatment programmes will remain suboptimal if HIV-related stigma is considered in isolation. If progress in reaching HIV epidemic control is to continue, increased emphasis and funding must be placed on addressing stigma and discrimination and ultimately improving quality of life and access to healthcare for people living with and most affected by HIV.

Access the special issue here: https://bit.ly/JIAS_Stigma

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IAC – the International AIDS Conference – is the premier global platform to advance the HIV response. As the world’s largest conference on HIV and AIDS, it sits uniquely at the intersection of science, advocacy and human rights, bringing together scientists, policy makers, healthcare professionals, people living with HIV, funders, media and community. Since its start in 1985, the conference continues to serve as an opportunity to strengthen policies and programmes that ensure an evidence-based response to HIV and related epidemics.

The 24th International AIDS Conference – known as AIDS 2022 – will be hosted in Montreal, Canada, and virtually from 29 July to 2 August 2022.

For more information, visit www.aids2022.org.

IAS – the International AIDS Society – convenes, educates and advocates for a world in which HIV no longer presents a threat to public health and individual well-being. After the emergence of HIV and AIDS, concerned scientists created the IAS to bring together experts from across the world and disciplines to promote a concerted HIV response

Today, the IAS and its members unite scientists, policy makers and activists to galvanize the scientific response, build global solidarity and enhance human dignity for all those living with and affected by HIV.

The IAS also hosts the world’s most prestigious HIV conferences: the International AIDS Conference, the IAS Conference on HIV Science and the HIV Research for Prevention Conference.

For more information, visit www.iasociety.org.

Media contacts:
Leila Darabi
Email: [email protected]

Michael Kessler
Email: [email protected]