Patients with HIV still face stigma, don't get needed medical care

Patients with HIV in the U.S. face barriers to good healthcare in part because of the stigma still attached to the disease, according to Laura Nyblade, Ph.D., in a commentary in The Daily Beast.

Stigma about the disease still prevents many people from getting tested for HIV, letting loved ones know about their positive status, seeking proper care and sticking with treatment, says Nyblade, senior technical advisor for stigma and discrimination for the research institute RTI International's global health division.

A 2011 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that of the estimated 1 million people with HIV who were tested and aware of the disease, approximately 77 percent received care, but only 51 percent continued to get the medical treatment they need to stay healthy.

Stigma contributes to that statistic, says Nyblade. One project that provides training to reduce stigma and discrimination among healthcare staff members is the healthcare facility stigma reduction package, developed under the Health Policy Project, she says. "Healthcare facilities are the very place that people living with HIV should find educated and compassionate care, not stigmatization," says Nyblade, who presented at a White House meeting in March to discuss how to reduce HIV-related stigma to ensure people are tested, cared for and treated.

Treatment is working and helping those with HIV to live long lives. Georgetown University researchers have reported the first case of Alzheimer's disease diagnosed in an HIV-positive patient, according to a study announcement. The finding in a 71-year-old man highlights the fact that long-time HIV survivors are starting to reach ages where their risk for Alzheimer's increases, the study said. HIV is also no longer a diagnosis of the young, as one in six new cases are among Americans older than 50, as FiercePracticeManagement previously reported.

To learn more:
- read the commentary
- check out the study announcement
- find the study