Is there still a stigma attached to HIV in the UK today?
When we think of AIDS, many of us will automatically think of Africa. Yet HIV is still the fastest growing serious health condition here in the UK. There are over 80,000 people living with HIV across Britain and the number of new infections continues to rise each year.
However, while there is more access to prevention, care and treatment services than ever before, there are still a number of myths and misinformation about the infection that is preventing early diagnosis.
The development of effective drugs means people with HIV can stay healthier for longer, but late diagnosis is still one of the biggest contributing factors to illness and death. Despite this, official statistics from 2007 estimate that nearly a third of adults with HIV are diagnosed late. While over a quarter of people living with HIV in the UK don’t even know they are infected.
Stigmas surrounding the virus still prevent many people in the UK from talking about the condition and coming forward for treatment. The MAC AIDS Fund’s (MAF) Global Public Opinion Survey found that more than four in five (86%) people believe stigma is a major contributing factor to the spread of the virus.
To combat AIDS and HIV-related shame and stigma in the UK, the MAF is working closely with three leading HIV charities on stigma reduction efforts, last year donating £376,250 to the cause. The money is raised exclusively by donating 100% of the sale price of MAC’s Viva Glam products. Since the MAF started 15 years ago, it has raised £3.8 million in the UK to date.
This Tuesday (1st December) marks World AIDS Day 2009 and 1000 MAC employees and makeup artists from 23 countries around the world have swapped their blusher brushes for paint brushes to redecorate AIDS and HIV Charities all over the world to demonstrate their commitment to the global fight against HIV/AIDS.
By buying one ‘Viva Glam’ lipstick/ lipgloss – priced £12 each - you could:
- Cover two hours home care for someone too weak to shop, cook and bathe
- Provide access to a half day’s treatment training course for someone newly diagnosed
- Pay for one hour counselling session targeting young vulnerable men
- Buy one HIV quick-testing kit
- Pay for a day of respite care to cover a mother and one child
- Buy emergency food supplies for 2 days for 2 people living with HIV
- Cover one day’s transportation for people living with HIV and AIDS in rural isolation to nearest clinic / treatment centre
- Cover a week of heating costs for 1 person living with HIV in the middle of winter
For more information visit maccosmetics.co.uk and macaidsfund.org.
* All statistics taken from Terrence Higgins Trust tht.org.uk
