Transcript Jumping over Two Hurdles: Caring for Addicts who live with HIV

Jumping over Two Hurdles:
Caring for Addicts who live
with HIV
Dr Ehab El Kharrat
President of ISAAC International &
Executive Director of Freedom Egypt
What is Stigma?
To stigmatize is to label someone.
To see someone as inferior because
of an attribute he or she has.
Types of HIV-Related Stigma
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Self Stigma – Self-hatred, shame, blame
(internal).
Felt Stigma – Perception or feelings toward
PLHAs (external)
Enacted Stigma or Discrimination
Stigma by Association – The whole family can
be affected by stigma. Stigma related to
occupation.
A Double Stigma
• Intra venous drug users are stigmatized:
seen as selfish, criminals, fools and
untrustworthy
• People living with HIV are stigmatized:
seen as perverts, should be avoided, may
be contagious, magically harmful and
should be avoided
Stigmatization and Condemnation
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The roots of condemnation may be found in
the attempt to preserve the majority (the
upright) and preserve the purity of the moral
message
Connecting HIV/AIDS to “committing adultery”,
Drugs to “being selfish and callous”
The fear of appearing as a liberal or loose
person leads religious people to exaggerated
firmness
Lack of information and misconceptions
Roots of Stigmatization
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With the rise in awareness of the facts the
realization that confronting HIV/AIDS requires
avoiding labeling, condemnations
Confronting
A call for love and compassion in action toward
vulnerable groups and PLWHA
All human beings are sinners: The glory and the
fall
The balance between affecting behavior change
and avoiding stigma e.g. smoking, overeating
HIV status
• If you do not get tested, you are not HIV
negative you are only HIV ignorant
• There is life after addiction
• There is life after HIV
• There is life after HIV and Addiction
• You and Those whom you serve may well
be HIV positive
Double Denial
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It can not happen to me
I am not like this
I can not take it
If I am I should not know
It will not help me to know
Why our clients do not get tested
• Stigma
• Denial
• Discrimination
History of Support Groups
• Groups of friends or colleagues often
develop naturally
• HIV raises many difficult issues and
questions
• Many People living with HIV find support
groups can provide information and
reduce anxiety about questions
Benefits of Support Groups
• Help individuals to become more confident and
powerful
• Provide a basis for activities organized by their
members
• Make links between people of different
backgrounds and increase tolerance and
understanding
• Help share resources, ideas and information
• Make others in the community aware of the
situation faced by people in the group
• Lead to the creation of a public or political voice
for people living with HIV
Key benefits
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Safe space
Reduced isolation
Providing optimism
Learning more
Action for change
Not Always Easy
• People cannot have their HIV status known
• People have economic and other issues that the
group cannot meet
• Group members have different needs and
expectations which can lead to conflict and
disappointment
• Group founders/leaders move on, creating some
weakness
• Burn out
Ways to Positive changes for
people living with HIV
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Increase knowledge
More skills
Positive attitudes and beliefs
Helpful social and cultural influences
Supportive environment
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Policy and issues/human rights
Access to materials and services
Economic opportunities
Open environment
Causes of Problems for People
Living with HIV
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Lack of Knowledge
Lack of Skills
Unhelpful attitudes and beliefs
Social and cultural pressures
Restrictive environment
Keys to care for PLWH
• Regular intake of the medicines
When the person needs it
Avoid resistance
The issue of priority
Side effects
Motivation
Regular testing
Keys to care for PLWH
• Stigma and Myths in and outside the
recovery community:
Dealing with the stigma
• Nutrition
• Healthy lifestyle
• Discrimination
Suggestions for Effective Care to
Addicts Living with HIV