AN INSIGHT INTO ORGANIZATIONAL HIV STIGMA & DISCRIMINATION
At ViiV Healthcare, we always prioritize inclusion – we’re committed to policy, principle and practice to equal opportunity for all people. Standing up in support of the LGBTQ community is core to our DNA, and that is why we are proud to have signed on to HRC’s National Business Statement on Anti-LGBTQ State Legislation.
LYNN BAXTER
Senior Vice President, Head of North America ViiV Healthcare
Much has been done to reduce discrimination at an organizational level through anti-discrimination laws, but these efforts vary across countries.
More needs to be done to ensure that legislative frameworks are being implemented and that stigma and discrimination are effectively addressed.
Defining organizational-level HIV stigma
Organizational HIV stigma is stigma or discrimination that occurs during interactions that people living with HIV have with institutions, such as workplaces, health services and religious or educational institutions (e.g., schools, colleges, etc.). Organizational stigma can also include anticipation of stigma and discrimination.
These interactions are often with doctors, dentists, healthcare professionals, teachers, religious leaders and tutors - interactions that should feel safe and secure, as opposed to stigmatizing.
A dentist put on three pairs of gloves when he found out [I had HIV].
During my pregnancy, I was only offered a vaginal examination twice. A gynecologist rejected me completely.
HIV stigma and discrimination in the workplace
Stigma and discrimination remain a barrier to employment for people living with HIV. It is thought to be felt most significantly by those who are unemployed and seeking work, but it is also a concern for those in work in terms of job retention and progression.
Employment rates for people living with HIV are consistently found to be below national averages.
This is despite evidence that – with the right treatment and support – someone diagnosed with HIV in recent years should have a similar, if not the same, ability to work as someone without HIV.
39%
More than a third (39%) of people living with HIV said that they had experienced institutional stigma in the past year.1
Recommendations:
- Implement services to give equal access to work, education and healthcare services. Local services should be provided by government, the public sector and employers to support people living with HIV gain access to work, education and healthcare services that are tailored to their needs.
- Zero discrimination in the organizational setting. Specific measures to prevent HIV-related discrimination and stigma should be embedded within broader anti-discrimination written policies, practices and culture in organizational settings, including in the workplace, in education and in healthcare. They should be monitored and implemented with zero tolerance for discrimination.
Our work toward combating organizational stigma
Our industry-leading Positive Action programs, initially created by GSK and now run through ViiV Healthcare, have been tackling HIV stigma for more than 20 years - working with communities most vulnerable to HIV with efforts spanning innovations in HIV care services, including initiatives aimed at preventing HIV, building capacity in grassroots communities and addressing HIV stigma and discrimination.
Through Positive Action Challenges, Community Strategic Initiatives and Breakthrough funding streams, we identify and fund innovative strategies to link priority populations to stigma-free services.
In collaboration with Implementation Science, we seek to understand which interventions are effective in addressing HIV-related stigma in healthcare settings.
Through partnerships and campaigns, we are actively contributing to fighting HIV stigma and discrimination. Launched in June 2020, Gareth Thomas started the Tackle HIV campaign in partnership with ViiV Healthcare and the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) after hearing firsthand how deeply stigma and self-stigma affect people living with HIV. ViiV Healthcare is also an active participant in the THT Back to Work program, supporting people living with HIV to reintegrate them into the world of work.
