Despite significant progress in HIV treatment and prevention, HIV stigma is still recognised as a barrier for people living with HIV to achieve a positive health and well-being.1

It is important to understand what HIV stigma is to reduce any related challenges people living with HIV may experience.

WHAT IS HIV STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION?

HIV stigma is negative attitudes and beliefs directed towards people who have HIV. This may include believing that only certain groups of people can get HIV, passing moral judgments on people who are taking measures to prevent HIV, or feeling that people ‘deserve’ HIV because of their life choices.2

HIV discrimination is another part of this issue. Discrimination happens when people are treated unfairly because of these beliefs, such as a healthcare professional (HCP) refusing to provide treatment to a person living with HIV, or someone rejecting casual contact with a person just because they’re living with HIV.2

HIV stigma and discrimination can have serious consequences, leading to unjust laws and policies that can unfairly target key populations living with HIV.3,4

WHY IS THERE HIV STIGMA?

HIV stigma is rooted in a lack of understanding, misinformation, and a fear of HIV.2,5 When the HIV/AIDS epidemic emerged in the 1980s, there were certain beliefs and misconceptions about HIV that lead to widespread stigma. Unfortunately, some of these beliefs still persist today.2

HIV was initially associated with groups at risk that already had existing prejudice, such as men having sex with men, transgender people, and intravenous drug users.5,6

A combination of these factors can lead to the unfair negative perception and judgment of people who are living with HIV.2

TYPES OF HIV STIGMA – REAL-WORLD EXAMPLES

HIV stigma can happen in multiple settings and can come in different forms, these include social stigma organisational/institutional stigma, structural stigma, and internalised stigma.6–9

  • Social HIV stigma

    Social HIV stigma can include stigma experienced from social circles such as family, friends, peers, and within the wider community from strangers, healthcare workers, and faith leaders. This type of stigma can occur from those who believe that people living with HIV do not adhere to social norms. Social stigma can lead to people living with HIV being ostracised, shunned, and feeling isolated from their community. 6,9,10

    A 2022 survey of people living with HIV in Europe and Central Asia revealed that 11% had experienced threats, as well as physical or verbal abuse from family members due to their HIV status. Additionally, 16% reported being the subject of gossip or discriminatory remarks from relatives, while 15% said they had been blackmailed by someone they knew. 11

    ‘The Positive Perspectives Survey Report’ (an international survey of people living with HIV conducted by ViiV Healthcare) includes a variety of insightful HIV stigma statistics. The report highlights that a staggering 82% of people living with HIV had experienced some form of stigma or discrimination within the past year, showing the emotional challenges faced by people living with HIV.12

  • Structural HIV stigma

    Structural stigma refers to any form of law or policy that results in the creation or reinforcement of HIV stigma. This form of HIV stigma can exist at a global, national, state, or regional level and includes any law or policy – including legislative frameworks and governmental policy.4,7,9,13

    Structural stigma can involve physical or social structures that limit people living with HIV from equal opportunities in employment, healthcare, marriage, adoption, etc.14

  • Internalised HIV stigma

    Internalised HIV stigma or self-stigma is the acceptance of negative perceptions and labels and applying them to oneself. It is associated with feelings of self-blame, guilt, lack of worth, and a need for secrecy.8,9,12 This form of HIV stigma is not limited to any single group; it is seen across many populations where stigma and/or discrimination are present within any country, gender, or ethnicity.12

    A recent survey found that 29% of people living with HIV stated that they had poor self-esteem because of their HIV status, and 30% of people revealed that they were ashamed that they had HIV.11

  • Organisational HIV stigma

    Organisational HIV stigma, also referred to as institutional stigma, is stigma or discrimination that occurs during the interactions that people living with HIV have with institutions, such as workplaces, health services, religious or educational institutions (e.g., schools, colleges, etc.). This can also include the anticipation of stigma and discrimination.6,7

    Stigma and discrimination can remain a barrier to employment for people living with HIV. It is thought to be felt not only by those who are unemployed and seeking work, but in relation to job retention and progression too.15

    Employment rates for people living with HIV have been found to be below the national averages.15 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.16

    A recent survey found that 15% of people living with HIV reported being treated unfairly at work due to their HIV status. Additionally, 11% said they had been denied employment or fired as a result of their status.11 By spreading awareness about HIV and actively seeking to combat stigma in the workplace, employers can help to reduce discrimination.

  • HIV stigma in healthcare settings

    Research has shown that healthcare professionals in some countries may change how they care for people living with HIV, delay or deny them treatment, make negative comments about them, and disclose their HIV status without consent.1

    Despite the benefits of openly talking to HCPs, nearly 30% of people living with HIV in the Positive Perspectives survey were not very comfortable raising concerns around their HIV management with their health provider. In some countries, such as Spain, this was as high as 50% of people living with HIV.12 Additionally, in another survey, 23% of people living with HIV have also reported being refused or delayed treatment.11

EFFECTS OF HIV STIGMA

The effects of stigma can be profound, with wide-ranging impacts on people living with HIV. Stigma can affect mental health, relationships, intimacy, access to healthcare (including HIV prevention and treatment), and career opportunities.8,9,12,15,17

  • HIV stigma effects on mental health

    HIV stigma can cause psychological distress such as depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and shame.10 If people living with HIV internalise the stigma, they can develop a negative self-image and have low self-worth.2,8 HIV stigma can lead to a fear of disclosure and despair, which may cause some people living with HIV to isolate themselves.10

  • HIV stigma effects on healthcare

    HIV stigma can also have negative effects on health outcomes for people living with HIV, which can manifest in different ways. HIV stigma/discrimination in the healthcare setting can result in reduced access to medical care, lower utilisation of HIV care services, and poorer adherence to medication, ultimately resulting in negative effects on health outcomes.8,9

    Stigma can also deter people from accessing HIV prevention methods such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and discourage them from seeking care or support, getting tested, or starting treatment. Therefore, HIV stigma can worsen existing health inequalities and discourage HIV prevention and treatment efforts within populations that are already stigmatised, such as Black gay men.17

HOW TO REDUCE HIV STIGMA

There are certain steps we can take as a community to stop HIV stigma, some of these are:

  • Learn the facts about HIV

    Learning the facts about HIV can address misconceptions about HIV and how it is transmitted. This also includes educating yourself about HIV prevention. A greater awareness of “treatment as prevention” (TasP), the U=U campaign, and the effective use of PrEP, can help reduce fear and stigma within society.2,9,18

  • Learn appropriate HIV language

    How we talk about HIV is also important, so it's essential to learn the appropriate language to use when speaking about HIV to be supportive of the HIV community. Here are some examples of language that may be stigmatising to people living with HIV and preferred wordings to use instead:2,19

    • ‘HIV infection’/’HIV-infected people’ — “Infection” carries the stigma of being contagious or a threat. Instead, you could say: HIV, people living with HIV, acquiring HIV.
    • ‘AIDS’ - “AIDS” should be used only when describing specifically AIDS (the end stage of HIV). HIV can be inclusive of both HIV and AIDS when the reference is not specific, as in “the HIV epidemic.” To learn more about the difference between HIV and AIDS, head to our HIV FAQs page.
    • ‘Died of AIDS’ - this assumes that AIDS is uniformly fatal, which is incorrect. Instead, you could say: “died from complications related to HIV” or “died of an AIDS-related illness.”

  • Talk about HIV

    Talking openly about HIV with friends, family, and the wider community can help normalise the subject. It also provides an opportunity to educate people about HIV and address any misunderstandings they may have.2,18

  • Take action and provide support in the workplace and healthcare setting

    We can advocate for specific measures to prevent HIV-related discrimination and stigma within organisational settings, such as the workplace, education, and healthcare. These measures include broader anti-discrimination written policies, practices, and the culture in these organisational settings. These measures should be monitored and implemented with zero tolerance for discrimination.18

  • How can you get involved?

    People can actively show their support to help end HIV stigma by:

    • Reaching out to local HIV service organisations for volunteering opportunities, such as participating in fundraising events, assisting with on-site or mobile HIV testing, and providing language skills.
    • Engaging with the community and spreading educational material online and in person. Getting involved in HIV awareness days e.g., HIV Testing Day, Zero HIV Stigma Day, or LGBTQ+ pride events, to support national observance.
    • Using pledge cards or other means to help raise money for HIV/human rights charities, posting on websites, blogs, social media channels, and other digital outlets.

OUR WORK TOWARDS COMBATING HIV STIGMA

ViiV Healthcare is committed to providing continued education and driving HIV awareness to tackle the causes of stigma. Eliminating the fear and misinformation that lead to stigma is key to ending HIV stigma and discrimination. The examples below are just a few instances of how ViiV is fighting to stop HIV stigma.

  • Positive Action programmes

    ViiV Positive Action programmes embody our mission of leaving no person living with HIV behind by working directly with communities most impacted by HIV. We aim to address the unmet needs of people living with and most affected by HIV through community and strategic partnerships. This includes funding programmes to reduce HIV-related stigma, supporting community health systems and closing critical gaps in paediatric and adolescent HIV.

  • Tackle HIV campaign

    In June 2020, Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas started the ‘Tackle HIV’ stigma campaign in partnership with ViiV Healthcare and the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) after hearing first-hand how stigma and self-stigma deeply affect people living with HIV.

    ViiV is also an active participant in the THT back-to-work programme, supporting people living with HIV to reintegrate into the world of work.

  • HIV in View

    The expanded gallery of our ‘HIV in View’ campaign features individuals living with HIV from various countries globally, sharing their rich and rewarding life experiences. ‘HIV in View’ was then followed by the ‘In Conversation’ series, featuring candid videos where individuals openly discuss their experiences of living with HIV.

  • Being Seen

    ‘Being Seen’ is an award-winning weekly podcast by ViiV Healthcare, produced by Harley and Co and presented and narrated by writer and activist Darnell Moore. Each episode explores the role that culture plays in resolving how we see ourselves and how we are seen by others.

    Being Seen encourages the creation of more accurate cultural portrayals of the queer and gay Black male experiences in the US in order to reduce stigma and change perceptions around living with HIV.

Abbreviations:

HCP, healthcare professional; LGBTQ+, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning; PrEP, pre-exposure prophylaxis; TasP, Treatment as prevention; THT, Terrence Higgins Trust.

References:

  1. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. HIV stigma in the healthcare setting: Monitoring implementation of the Dublin Declaration on partnership to fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia. Available from: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/hiv-stigma-healthcare-setting-monitoring-implementation-dublin-declaration [Accessed: August 2025]
  2. CDC. HIV Stigma Fact Sheet. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/stophivtogether/library/stop-hiv-stigma/fact-sheets/cdc-lsht-stigma-factsheet.pdf [Accessed: August 2025]
  3. United Nations. Despite Remarkable Achievement in Tackling HIV/AIDS, Disease Remains “a Global Crisis, Causing a Death Every Minute”, Senior Official Tells General Assembly | UN Press. press.un.org. Published June 12, 2023. https://press.un.org/en/2023/ga12509.doc.htm
  4. Decriminalisation and the end of AIDS: keep the promise, follow the science, and fulfill human rights. Sexual and reproductive health matters. 2023;31(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/26410397.2023.2194188
  5. CANFAR. Stigma. Available from: https://canfar.com/awareness/about-hiv-aids/stigma/ [Accessed: August 2025]
  6. Andi Asrina, Muhammad Ikhtiar, Fairus Prihatin Idris, Adam A, Alim A. Community stigma and discrimination against the incidence of HIV and AIDS. PubMed. 2023;16(9):1327-1334. doi:https://doi.org/10.25122/jml-2023-0171
  7. Subu MA, Wati DF, Netrida N, et al. Types of Stigma Experienced by Patients with Mental Illness and Mental Health Nurses in Indonesia: a Qualitative Content Analysis. International Journal of Mental Health Systems. 2021;15(77):1-12. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-021-00502-x
  8. Turan B, Budhwani H, Fazeli PL, et al. How Does Stigma Affect People Living with HIV? The Mediating Roles of Internalized and Anticipated HIV Stigma in the Effects of Perceived Community Stigma on Health and Psychosocial Outcomes. AIDS and Behavior. 2016;21(1):283-291. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1451-5
  9. Turan B, Hatcher AM, Weiser SD, Johnson MO, Rice WS, Turan JM. Framing Mechanisms Linking HIV-Related Stigma, Adherence to Treatment, and Health Outcomes. American Journal of Public Health. 2017;107(6):863-869. doi:https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2017.303744
  10. Armoon B, Fleury MJ, Bayat AH, et al. HIV related stigma associated with social support, alcohol use disorders, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among people living with HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Mental Health Systems. 2022;16(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-022-00527-w
  11. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Stigma: Survey of People Living with HIV Monitoring Implementation of the Dublin Declaration on Partnership to Fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia: 2022 Progress Report. Available from: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/hiv-stigma-survey-monitoring-dublin-declaration.pdf [Accessed: August 2025]
  12. The Positive Perspectives Survey Report a View into the Lives of People Living with HIV 2. Available from: https://edgesuite.gskstatic.com/Viiv/viivhealthcare/pdf_files/master/main/positive-perspectives-survey-report-finalcompressed.pdf [Accessed: August 2025]
  13. Oldenburg CE, Perez-Brumer AG, Hatzenbuehler ML, et al. State-level structural sexual stigma and HIV prevention in a national online sample of HIV-uninfected MSM in the United States. AIDS. 2015;29(7):837-845. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/qad.0000000000000622
  14. Andersson GZ, Reinius M, Eriksson LE, et al. Stigma reduction interventions in people living with HIV to improve health-related quality of life. The Lancet HIV. 2019;7(2). doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/s2352-3018(19)30343-1
  15. Perri M, Neil AC, Gaspar M, et al. A qualitative study of barriers to employment experienced by people living with HIV in Toronto and Ottawa. International Journal for Equity in Health. 2021;20(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-020-01356-4
  16. Kordovski VM, Woods SP, Verduzco M, et al. The effects of aging and HIV disease on employment status and functioning. Rehabilitation Psychology. 2017;62(4):591-599. doi:https://doi.org/10.1037/rep0000175
  17. Babel RA, Wang P, Alessi EJ, Raymond HF, Wei C. Stigma, HIV Risk, and Access to HIV Prevention and Treatment Services Among Men Who have Sex with Men (MSM) in the United States: A Scoping Review. AIDS and Behavior. 2021;25(11). doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-021-03262-4
  18. CDC. Stigma and HIV. HIV. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/health-equity/index.html [Accessed: August 2025]
  19. NIAID HIV Language Guide National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Available from: https://www.prepwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NIAID-HIVLanguageGuide-2024-1.pdf [Accessed: August 2025]

NP-GBL-HVX-COCO-240011 | January 2026

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