Aids (people living with aids

Since the appearance of AIDS in the late seventies and early eighties, the disease has had attached to it a significant social stigma. This stigma has manifested itself in the forms of discrimination and fear of “people living with AIDS” (PLWAs). As a result, the social implications of the disease have been removed from people with other life threatening conditions to PLWAs. Unfortunately, they are not only faced with a terminal illness but also social …

…the stigma has been formed, it is possible to try and counter its effects and to educate the public in order to possibly lower the levels of present stigma. Before social workers can be truly effective, however, it is necessary that education and training practices are modified to sensitize present and future social workers to the issues surrounding AIDS. With the proper tools, social workers can facilitate changes in society and fight AIDS related stigma.