Stigma of HIV positive expressed through veiled prejudice

Authors

  • Cléa Adas Saliba Garbin
  • Ronald Jefferson Martins
  • Naiana de Melo Belila
  • Artênio José Ísper Garbin
  • Tânia Adas Saliba Rovida

Keywords:

prejudice, HIV seropositivity, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, health personnel, sexually transmitted diseases

Abstract

Introduction: The term stigma was coined by the ancient Greeks to refer to signs made in the body meaning something bad on the morale of those who had them. Objective: To verify the presence of discriminatory attitudes of users of Unified Health System regarding HIV-positive individuals, as well as the perception about the possibility of acquiring some kind of disease during dental treatment. Methods: The data collection instrument consists of a semi-structured questionnaire. This study included interviews asking the following questions: individuals agree to be treated by a HIV-positive dentist, after the treatment of a HIV-positive patient or an inmate; the perception of the possibility of acquiring illnesses in a dental office; concern regarding sterilization of materials used and the manner of sterilization. Results: Two hundred individuals were interviewed, 142 would accept to be treated after a HIV-positive patient and 160 after an inmate. Moreover, 162 would be available for treatment by a HIV-positive dentist. However, when questioned about the preference, 93 would prefer to be treated before a HIV-positive patient and 60 before an inmate. Conclusion: Patients showed discriminatory attitudes toward seropositive people, expressed sometimes in a veiled manner, and the perception about the possibility of getting some kind of infection during dental treatment.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Cléa Adas Saliba Garbin

Graduate Program in Preventive and Social Odontology. Araçatuba School of Dentistry. São Paulo State University (UNESP) – Araçatuba (SP), Brazil.

Ronald Jefferson Martins

Graduate Program in Preventive and Social Odontology. Araçatuba School of Dentistry. São Paulo State University (UNESP) – Araçatuba (SP), Brazil

Naiana de Melo Belila

Graduate Program in Preventive and Social Odontology. Araçatuba School of Dentistry. São Paulo State University (UNESP) – Araçatuba (SP), Brazil

Artênio José Ísper Garbin

Graduate Program in Preventive and Social Odontology. Araçatuba School of Dentistry. São Paulo State University (UNESP) – Araçatuba (SP), Brazil.

Tânia Adas Saliba Rovida

Graduate Program in Preventive and Social Odontology. Araçatuba School of Dentistry. São Paulo State University (UNESP) – Araçatuba (SP), Brazil

Published

2022-04-20

How to Cite

1.
Garbin CAS, Martins RJ, Belila N de M, Garbin AJ Ísper, Rovida TAS. Stigma of HIV positive expressed through veiled prejudice. DST [Internet]. 2022 Apr. 20 [cited 2024 Mar. 28];28(2):64-6. Available from: https://bjstd.org/revista/article/view/752

Issue

Section

Original Article