Program Success November 2019 | Page 15

Diana Lee , MD , Director
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tion , and despair . The fear and effects of HIV stigma on individuals that live with HIV, impact not only those individuals but society as a whole . These individuals can be negatively affected in their ability to secure life ' s necessities like employment , housing and medical care . The community will be impacted by individuals may suffer from isolation , do not have HIV testing , are not being treated , and do not disclose HIV status to previous or current partners which will What causes HIV stigma ? HIV stigma is due to the fear of HIV. There are still misconceptions about how HIV is transmitted and what it means
to live with HIV today . The lack of information and awareness combined with outdated beliefs lead people to fear getting HIV . Additionally , many people think of HIV as a disease that only certain groups get . This leads to negative value judgements about people who are living with HIV .
How to dispel the HIV stigma :
1 . Get the facts . Learn HIV basics and what it means to currently live with HIV . 2 . Learn how to talk about HIV . Talking openly about HIV can help normalize the subject . 3 . Take action . We can help end HIV stigma through our words and actions in our everyday lives . Check out the CDC website ( cdc . gov ) for more information about HIV and stigma scenarios . It has great tips on what you can do when you witness stigma , as well as HIV preventive measures .
Let ' s be a force of kindness and compassion for those that are HIV positive . We can make a difference by learning more about it and dispelling myths that only hurt people .
Facebook Posts and Tweets :
Small gestures go a long way to help end HIV stigma . A handshake or hug can say " you matter , not your HIV status ." # StopHIVStigma
An HIV stigma-free future for everyone can begin with family . When ' s the last time you ' ve talked about HIV at home ? # StopHIVTogether
The Links , Incorporated in collaboration with Bethune-Cookman University ' s Odessa Chambliss Center have started an initiative to dispel HIV stigma and educate the community about HIV prevention . For information contact Dr . Diana Lee at leed @ cookman . edu and / or 386-481-2838
Diana Lee , MD \ Impact of HIV Stigma and Discrimination on Community Health Odessa Chambliss Center for Health Equity Bethune Cookman University Daytona Beach , Florida November 2019
In the words of Pope John Paul II " Love of Christ does not distract us from interest in others , but rather invites us to responsibility for them , to the exclusion of no one ... "
References
Diana Lee , MD , Director
Odessa Chambliss Center For Health Equity Bethune-Cookman University
www . unaids . org https :// www . cdc . gov
www . hiv . gov https :// www . ncbi . nlm . nih . gov

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