One out of four people with HIV feel stigmatized by their doctors, says a study published in the August issue of AIDS Patient Care and STDs.
The study was based on a peer review of patients in Los Angeles, many of whom perceived stigma from their health care provider, which discouraged them from receiving medical care. Participants were asked if health care providers were uncomfortable with them, treated them in an inferior manner, preferred to avoid them or refused to serve them. Of the 223 questioned at baseline interviews, 26 percent reported at least one of these four examples of stigma.
Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
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Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I recently met a guy who is negative. I did tell him about my status and he decided to kiss me anyway (we didn't go further than that). But a day later, he called and said that he actually had a mouth ulcer that time when we kissed and he was very worried. Asked if he can get the virus from me that way. For that moment, I felt so insulted and yet I felt so bad. It was my first time having a contact with a "negative" guy."
