Findings on HIV/AIDS Reported by Investigators at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) ('the High Five Club': Social Relations and Perspectives On Hiv-related Stigma During an Hiv Outbreak In West Virginia).

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) explores the relationship between social relations and perspectives on HIV-related stigma during an HIV outbreak in West Virginia. The study found that individuals who inject drugs and live homeless identified as belonging to a "street family" and reported openness about HIV+ status within their group. However, contrasting stigmatizing attitudes were attributed to the town's mainstream society. The study suggests that fatalism may hinder cooperation, solidarity, and HIV prevention, but it may also explain perceived reductions in stigma. [Extracted from the article]