Science

Overcoming Stigma Key to Addressing Disparities in HIV-infection Rates, Panel Agrees

April 19th, 2012

Thirty years into the fight against HIV, and there’s still a glaring disparity among those who become infected.

Disproportionately, the virus affects gay men. Among that group, African-Americans are at even greater risk.

To overcome the disparity, society must address stigma toward all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, said panelists speaking at the White House LGBT Conference on HIV/AIDS Thursday at the Morehouse School of Medicine.

“We know that stigma is a real barrier to this group openly seeking testing and treatment,” said Dr. David Satcher, former Surgeon General, former head of the Centers for Disease Control, and current Director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine.

Satcher said treatment is important because there’s evidence today’s drug regimen interferes with transmission of the virus.

“Treatment is prevention,” he said.

But getting treatment to those in need remains a complex challenge, said Morehouse School of Medicine Dean Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice. Especially in the LGBT community, stigma acts as a barrier.

“If we can get people to come forward without the fear of penalty, we know we can have more ideas about how to make an impact,” she said.

Dr. Montgomery-Rice said inclusive conversations, like the White House forum, are key to breaking down stigma. And that, in turn, breaks down disparities.