History

• AVERT explains discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS can be traced back to the beginnings of the epidemic in the 1980s. During this initial period infection with HIV/AIDS was widespread resulting in incorrect information being passed to the public. As the initial outbreak of the '80s and the fear of infection is still fresh in the minds of the public in 2010 the fear associated with the epidemic is often transferred to the treatment of people infected with HIV/AIDS.
  
  

HIV/AIDS

• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a life threatening condition that causes health problems by damaging the immune system of a person infected by the disease. The Mayo Clinic reports that with a damaged immune system it becomes difficult for a person to fight off disease causing viruses, bacteria and fungi. The later stages of the HIV infection are called Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Around the world approximately 39.5 million people are infected by HIV/AIDS as of April 2010, according to the Mayo Clinic.
  
  

Social

• People infected by HIV/AIDS face a number of problems caused by social discrimination. In healthcare settings AVERT reports people with HIV/AIDS are discriminated against by the refusal of medical services and medicines. Problems are also reported by AVERT with the disclosure of HIV/AIDS infection to medical staff, the decision of who is informed of a persons illness is not always their own but that of the medical institution. The stigma and variety of misinformation reported about HIV/AIDS can result in the shunning of an infected person by family, peers and the wider community. The workplace is an environment in which discrimination is reported by AVERT with many people infected with HIV/AIDS losing their jobs due to discrimination.
  
  

Government

• According to AVERT, 67 percent of nations around the world have some kind of legislation against HIV/AIDS discrimination. However, it is believed by UN information reported by AVERT that discrimination at government levels can result in a failure to quickly and efficiently address the epidemic resulting in the failure of government programs aimed at stemming the spread of HIV/AIDS.
  
  

Disclosure

• The ongoing discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS results in the failure by those infected to inform people of their infection, according to the International Center for Research on Women. The failure to disclose information can at times result in the spread of the virus when a person does not inform their spouse or partner of their infection.