HIV-RELATED STIGMA WITHIN COMMUNITIES OF GAY MEN: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Peter J Smit (1) , Michael Brady (2) , Michael Carter (3) , Ricardo Fernandes (4) , Lance Lamore (3) , Michael Meulbroek (5) , Michel Ohayon (6) , Tom Platteau (3, 7) , Peter Rehberg (3) , J Rockstroh (3, 8) , Marc Thompson (3)

1 Hivnieuws
2 KCH - King's College Hospital
3 Men2Men Collective advisory group
4 Positivo
5 Projecte dels NOMS - Hispanosida
6 Centre de santé sexuelle
7 Clinical Sciences
8 Department of Medicine

While stigma associated with HIV infection is well recognised, there is limited information on the impact of HIV-related stigma between men who have sex with men and among members of gay communities. The consequences of HIV-related stigma can be personal and community-wide, including impacts on mood and emotional wellbeing, prevention, testing behaviour, and mental and general health. This review of the literature reports a growing division between HIV-positive and HIV-negative gay men, and a fragmentation of gay communities based along lines of perceived or actual HIV status. The literature includes multiple references to HIV stigma and discrimination between gay men, men who have sex with men, and among and between many gay communities. This HIV stigma takes diverse forms and can incorporate aspects of social exclusion, ageism, discrimination based on physical appearance and health status, rejection and violence. By compiling the available information on this understudied form of HIV-related discrimination, we hope to better understand and target research and countermeasures aimed at reducing its impact at multiple levels.

Mots clés: Life Sciences

Domaines: Santé publique et épidémiologie

Peter J Smit, Michael Brady, Michael Carter, Ricardo Fernandes, Lance Lamore, et al.. HIV-RELATED STIGMA WITHIN COMMUNITIES OF GAY MEN: A LITERATURE REVIEW. AIDS Care, 2011, pp.1. ⟨10.1080/09540121.2011.613910⟩. ⟨hal-00756973⟩