Stop HIV Stigma Hackathon

How might we prevent stigma against people living with HIV in the healthcare setting?

Despite HIV being first identified 40 years ago stigma against people living with HIV still exists. UNSW Founders in collaboration with Gilead Sciences, UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health and National Association of People With HIV Australia are hosting this special 1.5-day event to bring together different minds and areas of expertise to create innovative solutions to prevent stigma towards PLWH in the healthcare setting.

In partnership with

The Challenge: How might we prevent stigma against people living with HIV in the healthcare setting?

There were approximately 37.7 million people across the globe with HIV in 2020, and an estimated 29,090 PLWH in Australia. In 2018, a national survey of PLWH conducted by the Centre for Social Research in Health found that more than half of participants (56%) reported experiencing stigma within the last 12 months in relation to their HIV status, including 9% reporting that they ‘often’ or ‘always’ experienced stigma. One-third of participants (33%) reported any negative treatment by health workers, including 5% who indicated that this was ‘often’ or ‘always’ the case.

Stigma is complex, particularly for those living with HIV. It can be linked to physical characteristics, lifestyle, religious affiliation, socioeconomic status, race, gender and sexual orientation. Stigma towards infectious viruses like HIV is increased due to fear of contracting the virus and prejudice and assumption of behaviours that increase the risk of contracting the virus, such as unprotected sex and sharing of equipment for injecting drugs (Broady et al, 2018). Outside of the HIV community it is still not widely known that PLWH who take HIV antiretroviral therapy as prescribed, and who achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load, cannot sexually transmit the virus to an HIV-negative partner. This is known as Undetectable = Untransmissible or U=U.

  • There is significant research on the damaging impact stigma has on the lives of PLWH, compromising quality of life, relationships, and mental health. Stigma is also linked to a reduction in healthcare utilisation and adhering to treatment, which can lead to further negative outcomes on physical health (Broady et al, 2018). Unfortunately, stigma is still too often experienced by PLWH in their own healthcare system, the very place they go for care and support. This can be caused by healthcare workers own negative attitudes and bias and result in things like being unwilling to administer treatment, reluctance to perform medical procedures and use of excessive infection control as well as policies, procedures and regulations that guide the operations of the health system (Nyblade et al, 2021).

    Significant progress has been made in the prevention, care and treatment of HIV however work is still required to prevent stigma and ensure people living with HIV live their best life on their own terms free from stigma and discrimination.

    UNSW Founders in collaboration with Gilead Sciences, UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health (CSRH) and National Association of People With HIV Australia (NAPWHA) are hosting this special 1.5-day event to bring together different minds, areas of expertise and ways of thinking to create new and innovative solutions to prevent stigma towards PLWH in the healthcare setting.

    Participants will be supported with information and resources from subject matter experts and mentors to brainstorm, design, test and create possible solutions.

  • There is significant research on the damaging impact stigma has on the lives of PLWH, demonstrating the negative impact on quality of life, relationships, and mental health. Stigma is also linked to a reduction in accessing healthcare and adhering to treatment, which can lead to further negative outcomes on physical health (Broady et al, 2018).

  • Unfortunately, stigma is still too often experienced by PLWH in their own healthcare system, the very place they go for care and support. This can be caused by healthcare workers own negative attitudes and bias and result in things like being unwilling to administer treatment, reluctance to perform medical procedures and use of excessive infection control as well as policies, procedures and regulations that guide the operations of the health system (Broady et al, 2018, Nyblade et al, 2021) . Although a lot of work has been done in this space and continues to be done to prevent stigma, it still remains an issue.

Event speakers and mentors

  • Prof. Carla Trealor (Speaker & Panel)

    Carla Treloar is Scientia Professor and Director of the Centre for Social Research in Health and the Social Policy Research Centre at UNSW Sydney.

  • Aaron Cogle (Speaker & Panel)

    Aaron Cogle is Executive Director of the National Association of People Living with HIV (NAPWHA). Read More

  • Scott Harlum (Speaker)

    Scott Harlum is living with HIV and served as Secretary/Treasurer of NAPWHA from 2015 until elected President in 2019. Scott has held positions in the National Public Health Partnership, Canberra-based Consumers’ Health Forum, NSW Farmer’s Association and a multi-national agricultural company. Read more

  • Ric Morgan (Panel)

    Ric Morgan is the Head of Legal and Compliance for Gilead Sciences in Australia working closing with Gilead’s HIV team to deliver for people living with HIV.

  • Dr. Ian Freckelton AO, QC (Speaker)

    Ian Freckelton is an experienced Queen’s Counsel at the Victorian Bar. Ian is also a Judge of the Supreme Court of Nauru, a Professorial Fellow in Law and Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne, an Adjunct Professor of Forensic Medicine at Monash University and an Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University. Read more

  • Hon. Jillian Skinner (Speaker)

    Jillian Skinner was formerly NSW Shadow Health Minister and Minister for Health and Medical Research. She continues her involvement in numerous health initiatives in a directorial and advisory capacity. Read more

  • Dr. Clara Tuck Meng Soo

    Dr Clara Tuck Meng Soo is Practice Principal of Hobart Place General Practice in Canberra City and East Canberra General Practice at Canberra Airport. Read more

  • Dr. Belinda Xie (Mentor)

    Belinda Xie is an Adviser with the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA) in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Read more

  • Darryl O'Donnell (Mentor)

    Darryl O’Donnell is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations. He holds an Adjunct appointment as Professor at the University of NSW, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia. Read more.

  • A/Prof. Jennifer Power (Mentor)

    Jennifer Power is an Associate Professor and Principal Fellow at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University. Her research focuses on sexuality, sexual health and HIV. Read more

  • Dr. Timothy Brody (Mentor)

    Dr Timothy Broady is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW. His current research interests include addressing stigma and discrimination amongst communities affected by blood-borne viruses, HIV prevention, and the lived experiences of marginalised groups within society.

  • Karl Johnson (Mentor)

    Karl Johnson works as Manager of Gay Men’s Sexual Health Programs at ACON. Karl's key areas include HIV/STI testing, HIV support, HIV stigma, and sexualised drug use. He holds a Dual Masters of Global Health and Public Health from UNSW.

  • Stephen Rutter (Guest Facilitator/Mentor)

    Stephen Rutter is a Proud Tebrakunna man from Lutruwita. He aims to grow organisations by thinking differently. Stephen is Founder of The Scale Institute and Head of Community at Neutopia. Read more