Psychosocial and cultural issues in HIV infection

HIV infection is distributed so that stigmatized groups (gay and bisexual men, IVDU, blacks, and Hispanics) form the majority of cases. Consequences of AIDS-related stigma have resulted in unnecessary discrimination: loss of job, loss of home, denial of insurance, and estrangement from family and friends. Because AIDS is an infectious disease with a high mortality rate, HIV-infected individuals live with the threat of impending death. An awareness of the cultural values, life-styles, and psychosocial problems of these patients will promote effective nursing care.