Link to slower access to care: What is the stigma? An Indian perspective

Abstract

Stigma and discrimination have been "bed fellows" of HIV and AIDS in India. Perpetuated by lack of awareness, deep-rooted traditional beliefs, adherence to harmful practices, and a moralistic tag associated with a condition connected with sex (in India the method of HIV transmission being largely heterosexual in nature) and high-risk individuals such as sex workers, it made it difficult for the country to fight an epidemic that was hard to track, estimate, diagnose, and treat. Various interventions under India's National AIDS Control Program (NACP) have targeted stigma and discrimination among different groups. The program has been fairly successful in its outreach programs, bringing about a reduction in adult HIV prevalence and new infections. As the country transitions from NACP Phase III (2007-2012) to IV (2012-2017), making treatment and longevity its top priority, stigma is no longer such a terrifying word. This review discusses the social and cultural context of HIV/AIDS-related stigma in general and highlights various policies and intervention programs that have led India's campaign against HIV/AIDS-driven stigma into the testing, care, support, and treatment ambit. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.