Strategies for supporting people living with HIV for coping with the stigma

2^nd International Conference on HIV/AIDS, STDs, & STIs

October 27-29, 2014 Embassy Suites Las Vegas, USA

Bernardino Geraldo Alves Souto

Keynote: J AIDS Clin Res

Abstract :

The prejudice related to HIV infection can awaken a reaction in some people to interfere with the way how they relate to those living with HIV, in the sense of devaluation of those were infected with this virus. Because of this, those living with HIV tend to social isolation and to clandestinely, way by which seeks to hide his condition, which causes much suffering. To help these individuals is necessary to emphasize qualities that they have, which are socially desirable. The stimulus to reversion of stigma by subtraction the legitimacy of it and the enhancement of self-image of those living with HIV is an important measure. Other strategies are: Support to occultation and to internalization of the stigma, exclusion of those who do not accept the person living with HIV from cycle of relationships of this individual, encouragement to affective and material independence of the subject in relation to those who feel prejudice, the participation of subject on collective movements against prejudice, and the availability of acquaintanceship spaces who do not care to HIV infection. In this workshop real stories of people living with HIV about their experience with stigma and its confrontation will be discussed.

Biography :

Bernardino Geraldo Alves Souto was graduated in medicine at Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 1987. He received his master?s degree in 2002 and PhD in 2006 in Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, at Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. He is Specialist in Intensive Care Medicine, Clinical Medicine/Internal Medicine and Epidemiology. He is Professor of the Department of Medicine of the Federal University of São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil. He practices general integral medicine and is attending physician at Specialized Care Service in STD/HIV/Aids of São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil. As researcher, mainly investigates the epidemiology of HIV infection, and the psychological and social issues related to people living with this virus.