A criminalização da transmissão do HIV no Brasil: avanços, retrocessos e lacunas

Este estudo visa examinar os processos judiciais relacionados à infecção pelo vírus da Aids durante a pratica sexual no Brasil e suas implicações para a atualização do estigma do HIV/Aids. A reflexão foi centrada na análise dos processos de transmissão do HIV registrados no Portal JusBrasil e na revisão da produção acadêmica e de reportagens da mídia sobre o tema. Os dados revelam a convergência das visões de juristas, órgãos governamentais e representantes da sociedade civil organizada acerca das implicações negativas da criminalização da transmissão do HIV. Revelam-se também avanços, expressos pela jurisprudência do Supremo Tribunal Federal acerca da transmissão do vírus como transmissão de moléstia grave (Artigo 131), e não como tentativa de homicídio, e pela definição da Aids como agravo crônico e não como "sentença de morte". Todavia, existem retrocessos, como a tentativa de implementar leis que criminalizam a transmissão do vírus com penas severas e desconsideram as atuais tecnologias de prevenção e tratamento e os receios do estigma da Aids. Diante da escassez de estudos nacionais acerca do assunto, recomenda-se fomentar o debate e a produção acadêmica sobre os efeitos da criminalização da transmissão do HIV à luz do atual cenário da Aids no Brasil e no mundo

Combating HIV stigma in low‐ and middle‐income healthcare settings: a scoping review

IntroductionNearly 40 years into the HIV epidemic, the persistence of HIV stigma is a matter of grave urgency. Discrimination (i.e. enacted stigma) in healthcare settings is particularly problematic as it deprives people of critical healthcare services while also discouraging preventive care seeking by confirming fears of anticipated stigma. We review existing research on the effectiveness of stigma interventions in healthcare settings of low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), where stigma control efforts are often further complicated by heavy HIV burdens, less developed healthcare systems, and the layering of HIV stigma with discrimination towards other marginalized identities. This review describes progress in this field to date and identifies research gaps to guide future directions for research.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review of HIV reduction interventions in LMIC healthcare settings using Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus (through March 5, 2020). Information regarding study design, stigma measurement techniques, intervention features and study findings were extracted. We also assessed methodological rigor using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for systematic reviews.Results and discussionOur search identified 8766 studies, of which 19 were included in the final analysis. All but one study reported reductions in stigma following the intervention. The studies demonstrated broad regional distribution across LMIC and many employed designs that made use of a control condition. However, these strengths masked key shortcomings including a dearth of research from the lowest income category of LMIC and a lack of interventions to address institutional or structural determinants of stigma. Lastly, despite the fact that most stigma measures were based on existing instruments, only three studies described steps taken to validate or adapt the stigma measures to local settings.ConclusionsCombating healthcare stigma in LMIC demands interventions that can simultaneously address resource constraints, high HIV burden and more severe stigma. Our findings suggest that this will require more objective, reliable and culturally adaptable stigma measures to facilitate meaningful programme evaluation and comparison across studies. All but one study concluded that their interventions were effective in reducing healthcare stigma. Though encouraging, the fact that most studies measured impact using self-reported measures suggests that social desirability may bias results upwards. Homogeneity of study results also hindered our ability to draw substantive conclusions about potential best practices to guide the design of future stigma reduction programmes

2018 Sydney Gay Asian Men Survey

The 2018 Sydney Gay Asian Men Survey was a part of a national research project designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of key HIV- and STI-related practices and health needs amongst gay and other men who have sex with men of Asian background in Australia. It was led and sponsored by the Sydney-based Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Gay Men Action Group—a partnership between ACON, the Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service, South Eastern Sydney LHD, Sydney LHD, South Western Sydney LHD, Western Sydney LHD, Northern Sydney LHD and the Centre for Social Research in Health at UNSW

Key findings from the 2023 ‘ACT NOW on Global HIV Migration, Mobility and Health Equity’ community forum

Background People living with HIV continue to face laws, policies, and practices that impact their potential for travel and migration. These laws include: mandatory HIV testing and involuntary disclosure of HIV; lack of access to affordable HIV-related health care, treatment and counselling during the migration process; deportation of foreign nationals living with HIV; and restrictions on the length of stays. Methods HIV migration laws were the topic of a half-day community forum held as part of the 12th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science held in Brisbane, Australia, in July 2023. Over 150 delegates attended and, after a series of presentations, delegates were invited to participate in structured, facilitated conversations about issues related to policy, health and law concerning migration of people living with HIV. In this paper, we report on key themes from those discussions and identify areas for ongoing investigation. Results Advocates recommended the removal of unfair and unjust migration laws and policies that contribute to HIV stigma and discrimination; updated migration policies that reflect the current context and cost of biomedical approaches to HIV management and prevention; expanded and equitable access to HIV-related care regardless of migration or residency status; and the development of advocacy networks to promote changes to migration policies. Conclusions Laws limiting the migration of people living with HIV actively discourage individuals from seeking HIV testing, treatment and care. Ultimately, restrictive migration laws and policies undermine global efforts to end AIDS as a public health concern and to virtually eliminate HIV transmission by 2030

HIV Disclosure and sexual transmission behaviors among an internet sample of HIV-positive men who have sex with men in Asia: Implications for prevention with positives

The relationship between HIV disclosure and sexual transmission behaviors, and factors that influence disclosure are unknown among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in Asia. We describe disclosure practices and sexual transmission behaviors, and correlates of disclosure among this group of MSM in Asia. A crosssectional multi-country online survey was conducted among 416 HIV-positive MSM. Data on disclosure status, HIV-related risk behaviors, disease status, and other characteristics were collected. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify significant correlates of disclosure. Only 7.0% reported having disclosed their HIV status to all partners while 67.3% did not disclose to any. The majority (86.5%) of non-disclosing participants had multiple partners and unprotected insertive or receptive anal intercourse with their partners (67.5%). Non-disclosure was significantly associated with non-disclosure from partners (AOR = 37.13, 95% CI: 17.22, 80.07), having casual partners only (AOR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.03, 3.53), drug use before sex on a weekly basis (AOR: 6.48, 95% CI: 0.99, 42.50), being diagnosed with HIV between 1 and 5 years ago (AOR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.05, 4.74), and not knowing one's viral load (AOR = 2.80, 95% CI: 1.00, 7.83). Given the high HIV prevalence and incidence among MSM in Asia, it is imperative to include Prevention with Positives for MSM. Interventions on disclosure should not solely focus on HIV-positive men but also need to include their sexual partners and HIV-negative men. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011