Introduction: In all likelihood, no other disease has been the source of so much stigmatization as HIV, even though the virus is not transmitted by physical contact, is not deadly and is curable. The conception that HIV is a disease of homosexuals, prostitutes and drug addicts has been part of the collective conscious since the 1980s and has been passed on from one generation to another. Stigmatization has a considerable effect on HIV prevention and treatment and HIV-positive individuals often face stigmatization by health-care workers. Purpose: The purpose of the present thesis is to describe how health-care workers and the society in general stigmatize HIV-positive individuals. Methods: We have reviewed 42 pieces of expert literature in digital form that were published in the period from 2000 to 2019. All texts were obtained from the following resources: Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, MEDLINE and SocINDEX databases; and Google Scholar, DiKUL and Mrežnik portal informacijskih virov search engines. Results: HIV is considered to be the most stigmatized diseases in modern society. In some cases, individuals are so afraid of stigma that they do not get tested for HIV, while HIV-positive individuals hide their condition, refuse treatment or receive it too late. Consequently, stigmatized HIV-positive people withdraw from society, which has a significant effect on their mental health. Discussion and conclusion: Lack of knowledge proved to be the most common reason for stigmatization of HIV-positive individuals by health-care workers and the society in general. Health-care workers should be actively involved in raising awareness of HIV, particularly regarding infection pathways as well as stigmatization and its effects on the lives of HIV-positive individuals. They should strive to establish interventions to reduce stigmatization and integrate students of various medical sciences into the associated processes. Other profiles of health-care professionals, such as psychologists and social workers, should also participate in the treatment of HIV/AIDS-positive people. More research should be done on HIV-related stigmatization in Europe and the results of such efforts can serve as the foundation for establishing appropriate interventions to reduce stigma.
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