Presentation Type
Oral/Paper Presentation
Abstract
HIV impacts 39.9 million people worldwide. Many people with HIV are the victims of stigmatizing language used by physicians, family members, and community members. In 2015 the Centers for Disease Control and the American Medical Association added language guidelines to prevent additional stigma in medical and scientific literature. Analyzing research from Baltimore, Nigeria, and Rwanda creates a global view of the impacts of language and culture on public health materials presented in communities where HIV is prevalent. Researching the perspectives of women, mothers, and physicians provides a diverse range of experiences people with HIV have gone through. Synthesizing the current research reveals the impact of both culture and language on HIV stigma, as well as the need to change the language and the culture in order to reduce the stigma associated with HIV across the world.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Jan Harris
Recommended Citation
Coletti, Cora, "Understanding the Relationship of Culture and Language with HIV" (2025). Student Scholar Symposium. 184.
https://digitalcollections.lipscomb.edu/student_scholars_symposium/2025/Full_schedule/184
Understanding the Relationship of Culture and Language with HIV
HIV impacts 39.9 million people worldwide. Many people with HIV are the victims of stigmatizing language used by physicians, family members, and community members. In 2015 the Centers for Disease Control and the American Medical Association added language guidelines to prevent additional stigma in medical and scientific literature. Analyzing research from Baltimore, Nigeria, and Rwanda creates a global view of the impacts of language and culture on public health materials presented in communities where HIV is prevalent. Researching the perspectives of women, mothers, and physicians provides a diverse range of experiences people with HIV have gone through. Synthesizing the current research reveals the impact of both culture and language on HIV stigma, as well as the need to change the language and the culture in order to reduce the stigma associated with HIV across the world.