HIV Sensitive Language.

“AIDS” when the intention is to refer to HIV

AIDS is a range of conditions that occur when a person's immune system is seriously damaged by HIV infection. Someone who has HIV infection has antibodies to the virus but may not have developed any of the illnesses that constitute AIDS.

AIDS is often referred to as a ‘deadly, incurable disease’, but this creates a lot of fear and only serves to increase stigma and discrimination. It has also been referred to as a ‘manageable, chronic illness, much like hypertension or diabetes’, but this may lead people to believe that it is not as serious as they thought. It is preferable to use the following description: AIDS, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is a fatal disease caused by HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus. HIV destroys the body’s ability to fight off infection and disease, which can ultimately lead to death. Currently, antiretroviral drugs slow down replication of the virus and can greatly enhance quality of life, but they do not eliminate HIV infection."

2006/EditorsNotes_en.pdf

HIV Infection Or HIV Positive

AIDS disease

AIDS is a diagnostic term not a disease

HIV-related disease

AIDS/ HIV carrier

This term is highly offensive and stigmatising to many people with HIV and AIDS. It is also incorrect: the infective agent is HIV. You can't just catch AIDS. This term may also give the impression that people can protect themselves by choosing a partner based on their appearance or by avoiding someone who they know has AIDS.

HIV-Positive, Person/ Man/ Woman Living With HIV

AIDS Orphan

This term may stigmatize the child and the child’s condition and may also be misinterpreted to mean that the child is HIV-positive. The child may not be HIV positive but may have lost one or both parents due to HIV.

Orphans, Children Affected By HIV and AIDS, ‘orphans and other children made vulnerable by AIDS’.

AIDS Patient

Use "AIDS patient" only to describe someone who has AIDS and who is, in the context of the story, in a medical setting. Most of the time, a person with AIDS is not in the role of a patient.

Person Living With HIV Or Aids Or HIV Positive Person”

AIDS sufferers/ victims

These words evoke images of helplessness and weakness.

People living with HIV or AIDS

AIDS test

This does not exist. AIDS is diagnosed according to specific medical criteria that identify the symptoms of AIDS. The test determines the presence of HIV antibodies; therefore it tests for HIV infection, not AIDS. The progression to AIDS is the last stage of HIV disease.

HIV (antibody) test

AIDS Virus Or HIV Virus

There is no such thing as the AIDS virus. There is only HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) - the virus that can cause AIDS. The term "HIV virus" actually means Human Immunodeficiency Virus virus, which is duplication.

HIV, the virus that causes AIDS

Body fluids

Confusion about the body fluids that can transmit HIV is a common cause of fear and misunderstanding about HIV and continues to cause discrimination against PLWHA. Always explain which body fluids contain HIV in sufficient concentrate to be implicated in HIV transmission (i.e. blood, semen, pre-ejaculate, vaginal fluids and breast milk). HIV cannot be transmitted through body fluids such as saliva, sweat, tears or urine.

Specify The Fluids -Blood, Semen, Pre-Ejaculate, Vaginal Fluids, Breast milk

Acronym referring to "Children Affected by AIDS" This is used to avoid the stigma of "AIDS Orphan" but may in itself lead to stigma.  It is important to remember that these are firstly individual children.  Avoid acronyms when referring to people where possible

Catch AIDS

HIV is transmitted (eg Sexually; mother-to-child, via blood), and then leads to the development of AIDS. Unlike contagious diseases, HIV cannot be “caught.”

Clarification: HIV is not a contagious disease, ie it cannot be transmitted through casual contact (eg Sneezing, coughing, saliva).

Contract HIV, Become infected with HIV, Become HIV-positive. Transmission of HIV is also correct, but it puts the emphasis on who and how the virus is transmitted. Very often, individuals with HIV do not know when they became infected with HIV, so specialists in the HIV/AIDS field suggest not dwelling on this.

Developing countries

Low and middle income countries

Died of AIDS

While this is frequently used, AIDS is actually a syndrome that can be defined by many different diseases. HIV gradually weakens a person’s immune system and leads to one or more of many illnesses (opportunistic infections), which signal the progression to AIDS. These illnesses are the eventual cause of death.

Died of an AIDS-related illness, Died of an HIV-related illness

Drug abuser, drug addict

Many people who use drugs consider that they are in control of their use of drugs, and that they are not abusing them and are not addicted to them. Calling them abusers or addicts alienates them, which serves no good purpose. It is the act of injecting with a contaminated needle, not the drug use itself, that can transmit HIV. UNAIDS does not use the term ‘intravenous drug users’ because subcutaneous and intramuscular routes may be involved. It is preferable to spell out in full and not use the abbreviation.

Intravenous drug user, Injecting Drug Users

Drugs for AIDS

This may be misinterpreted as meaning that there are cures for HIV infection and AIDS. It is important to clarify that while there are drugs to treat the symptoms, prevent and treat opportunistic infections and slow the progression of the disease, they cannot completely rid the body of the virus.

Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is the name given to treatment regimens recommended by leading HIV experts to aggressively suppress viral replication and slow the progress of HIV disease.

Anti-HIV therapy, AIDS-related drugs, Drugs to prevent and treat opportunistic infections (OI), Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART)

Avoid using all combatant language (e.g. battle, struggle, campaign, war) whenever possible.

Response to HIV Transmission prevention (or simply prevention)

Other alternatives include: initiative, programme, action, and efforts.

Full-blown AIDS

This is an older slang term that is rarely used anymore. Progression to AIDS is one stage of HIV disease. This term implies there is such a thing as "half-blown AIDS". A person only has AIDS when they present with an AIDS-defining illness such as an opportunistic infection.

Gay/ homosexual/ bisexual

These terms, particularly gay and bisexual, refer to an identity that may or may not be tied to a behavior. In many countries and cultures, men who have sex with other men may not perceive themselves as gay, bisexual, or homosexual. It is important to distinguish between behavior (which can place an individual at increased risk of transmitting and acquiring HIV) and sexual identity, particularly when talking about HIV transmission.

Men who have sex with men (MSM)

General Population

This implies that people in the populations targeted for HIV prevention, education and care are not part of the general population. It artificially divides the world into those who are infected, or at risk of being infected, and those who are not. It falsely implies that identity, rather than behaviour, is the critical factor in HIV transmission.

(e.g. for Australia:) Australian Population Or All Australians Or “HIV Negative People”

These terms should be used with caution as they can increase stigma and discrimination. They may also lull people who don’t identify with such groups into a false sense of security. ‘High-risk group’ also implies that the risk is contained within the group whereas, in fact, all social groups are interrelated. It is often more accurate to refer directly to ‘higher risk of HIV exposure’, ‘sex without a condom’, ‘unprotected sex’, or ‘using non-sterile injection equipment’ rather than to generalize by saying ‘highrisk group’. Membership of groups does not place individuals at risk, behaviours may.

HIV/AIDS

Be specific according to the context. HIV and AIDS is not the same thing

HIV unless specifically referring to AIDS

HIV/AIDS Epidemic

Be specific

HIV-infected person

“HIV-positive” is preferable to “HIV-infected,” as the latter term places emphasis on the infection, rather than the individual living with it. HIV-positive can sometimes be a false positive test result, especially in infants of up to 18 months of age), the term.

UNAIDS uses HIV-infected to indicate that evidence of HIV has been found via a blood or tissue test.

Living with HIV, HIV-positive, (Having) contracted HIV

HIV virus

This term is redundant. HIV stands for “Human Immunodeficiency Virus”

HIV

Innocent (victim), Guilty

This infers that certain modes of transmission are worse than others and that some HIV-positive individuals deserve their status. Nobody chooses to have HIV. "Victim" and "innocent" suggest that there is someone who is guilty.

Omit the word

Acronym referring to "Orphans and Vulnerable Children" This is used to avoid the stigma of "AIDS Orphan" but may in itself lead to stigma.  It is important to remember that these are firstly individual children.  Avoid acronyms when referring to people where possible

Promiscuous

This term is based on the perception of an individual’s behavior. It places a negative connotation on an individual who may look a certain way, have or be perceived to have more than one sexual partner and does not accurately reflect the social context of transmission. For example, an individual may be in a polygamous marriage, which is socially and religiously acceptable in many societies. It is important not to use language that judges others behaviors or is based on misconceptions or stereotypes.

This is a value judgment that should be avoided. If required, High Risk Behaviour could be used.

Prostitute

This term does not accurately describe situations in which women may be forced into exchanging sex for money or food due to gender inequality and lack of alternative economic opportunity.

The term 'commercial sex worker' is no longer used, primarily because it is considered to be saying something twice over in different words (i.e. a tautology).

Sex worker, women/men/people who sell sex'.

Prostitution

Use this term in respect to juvenile prostitution. Otherwise for older age groups, use 'commercial sex' or 'the sale of sexual services'. 'Transactional sex' is also sometimes used.

Risk group vs. Risk behavior

This implies that membership of a particular group, rather than behaviour, is the significant factor in HIV commission. This term may lull people who don't identify with a high risk group into a false sense of security. It is high risk behaviours such as unsafe sex or unsafe injecting practices that can spread HIV, not high risk groups Additionally, individuals in a “risk group” may not practice risky behavior. An example of this is an injection drug user who uses clean needles that are not shared.

Risky behavior, High Risl Behaviour

Risk of contracting AIDS

Risk of AIDS infection

Transmitting AIDS

AIDS is not a single disease. It is a syndrome. HIV-positive people are at risk of developing AIDS. No one is at risk of acquiring HIV from social contact. Only HIV, not AIDS, can be transmitted from person to person.

Risk of HIV infection

Acquiring HIV infection

Transmitting HIV

Safe sex

There is always an inherent risk when having sex.

Safer sex

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

This term (and the older VD or Venereal Disease) that does not convey the concept of asymptomatic sexually transmitted infections. Sexually transmitted infections are spread by the transfer of organisms from person to person during sexual contact.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)

Scourge, Plague, Dreaded Disease

These words are overly dramatic and over used. They also may imply judgment and it may be better to substitute with less dramatic language such as medical terms. They can fuel panic, discrimination and hopelessness.

Disease, Epidemic, Illness

Street Walker

Again, the term street walker does not represent the employment aspect, and is therefore derogatory and misleading

Street Worker

Sufferer, Victim

These terms imply passiveness and helplessness.

Avoid using these terms

Suspected (of having HIV), admitted (to having HIV)

These terms may foster stigma because they imply secrecy.

Avoid using these terms

This term is acceptable as a noun referring to an objective or goal. Avoid using as a verb for example “targeting men who have sex with men…” as this conveys non-participatory, top-down approaches, alternative terms include: “programmes for and by men who have sex with men”; “engaging men who have sex with men in programming”; and “programmes involving men who have sex with men in the response to the epidemic”, etc.

Test for AIDS, AIDS testing, AIDS blood test

There is no test for AIDS. Tests can determine whether antibodies to HIV are present or whether there is actual evidence of the virus in the blood or tissue samples.

HIV antibody test or HIV test

Vulnerable groups

Vulnerable populations or populations most likely to be exposed to HIV or populations at higher risk of exposure