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H is For Human
The First Letter in HIV Stands for Human

Released: September 18, 2023

Marissa Gonzalez
Marissa Gonzalez,
Activity Information

Activity

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Key Takeaways
  • A primary challenge in providing HIV care is overcoming the stigma felt by persons living with HIV. 

Although there are many parts that encompass HIV care, I believe some very specific topics are imperative in the care and treatment of a person living with HIV, particularly regarding the relationship between the healthcare professional (HCP) and person. These topics are how to start antiretroviral therapy when it is most effective, how to engage in care, and how to overcome challenges that may arise during the course of treatment.

Each of these topics requires that the person living with HIV and the HCP understand each other. That’s why, in a forthcoming discussion in Boston during IDWeek, I and other persons living with HIV will engage in an open forum discussion with HCPs in our special session on “Breaking Down Barriers: Dialogues on Optimizing Engagement in HIV Care.”

Engaging in Care
Every person's journey with their HIV diagnosis is their own. Understanding HIV at an individual level can help us understand how to reduce the spread of HIV, minimize the stigma of the disease, guide individuals on the next steps to take after testing positive, and ensure continued engagement throughout life’s challenges.

Take me, for example. I refer to myself as a baby in this epidemic. I was diagnosed as having HIV in 2016 by my gynecologist after completing my annual examination. Having grown up in an urban area of New Jersey and being of Hispanic descent, conversations about sex were limited to “Don’t get pregnant at an early age.” I had some idea of what HIV was, but it was not something discussed in my home or in the schools I attended. I was very ignorant about life with HIV, so much so that after my diagnosis I attempted to take my own life.

Now, just 7 years into my life as a person living with HIV, I am an international advocate, but I know and respect that this is not the reality for many. My life with HIV motivates me to use my voice to share my experience and testimony.

I’ve faced so much stigma and rejection in my life that I am almost numb to it, but the rejection and stigma attached to living with HIV is like nothing I'd ever felt before. Right now, there are still many communities that feel left out of the conversation about how to fight the HIV epidemic; moreover, those most vulnerable to the HIV epidemic are so affected by history and stigma that many refuse to even get preliminary testing.

H Is for Human
Often, society treats those of us living with HIV as lesser individuals, forgetting that the first letter in HIV stands for human. This can also be said for the treatment we receive from some HCPs, who sometimes seem to forget that this is a whole person with various life problems, of which HIV may not even be their primary worry. This is one of the many challenges we will discuss.

As you enter conversations with your patients, I encourage you to wear your human hat above your professional hat. Combining your medical knowledge and expertise with a human perspective will ensure a more complete understanding of the discussion around HIV care.

Even for just a moment, placing your medical knowledge aside, imagine you have been told you are HIV positive. What would you want to be the very next action for your HCP to take?

This is the perspective I look forward to sharing with you and your colleagues in an intentional and thought-provoking conversation at our special session in Boston during IDWeek. We invite you to join our discussion, in-person or virtually, as we take a deep dive into the life of individuals living with HIV and their interaction with specialty providers to obtain a deeper understanding of the populations most vulnerable for contracting HIV and how to approach HIV as a condition.

Your Thoughts?
What are some of the challenges that those living with HIV in your care have encountered? Join the discussion by posting a comment.