Raphaël Depallens & Florian Vock, Swiss AIDS Federation

A significant proportion (18-30%) of people working in the healthcare sector have observed discrimination in their workplace against people living with HIV in the last 12 months. The same study (ECDC 2024) also shows, however, that 48% of doctors and nurses have little or no knowledge of HIV. 

Swiss population: clueless 

It is therefore not surprising that the general population still has little knowledge of the reality of HIV. A Swiss study conducted with the participation of the Swiss AIDS Federation (P254 Public knowledge, views, perceptions and attitudes towards HIV and people living with HIV in Switzerland) shows an urgent need for action: only 22% of people in Switzerland are convinced that HIV can no longer be transmitted if treatment is successful. An equal number of people reject this statement and the remaining 56% do not know. 

Effects of the stigma 

The impact of HIV-related stigma has major consequences not only for people living with HIV (adherence, mental health, etc.) but also for prevention and early detection. And last but not least, the stigma also has very personal consequences: data from Switzerland (P246 The unseen population behind people living with HIV) show that only 35% of people with HIV who have children of their own have told their children that they are living with HIV. But there is hope: reducing ignorance reduces stigma (Mohammadifirouzeh et al. 2024).