Key Points
-
Over 95% of the 85,000 people living with diagnosed HIV in the UK are achieving and maintaining an undetectable viral load while on effective antiretroviral therapy – they can expect a normal life span and are protected from transmitting HIV.
-
Nevertheless people living with HIV reported high rates of stigma and discrimination when attending their dental practice in the previous 12 months.
-
These findings are a wakeup call to the dental team to ensure that care is delivered without discrimination and prejudice.
-
Greater awareness and training is required to ensure the dental team provides optimal care to people living with HIV in a supportive environment.
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
References
Burger-Calderon R, Smith J S, Ramsey K J et al. The association between the history of hiv diagnosis and oral health. J Dent Res 2016; 95: 1366–1374.
Dobalian A, Andersen R M, Stein J A et al. The impact of HIV on oral health and subsequent use of dental services. J Public Health Dent 2003; 63: 78–85.
Soares G B, Garbin C A S, Rovida T A S et al. Oral health associated with quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS in Brazil. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2014; 12: 28.
Benjamin R M . Oral health care for people living with HIV/AIDS. Public Health Rep 2012; 127 (Suppl 2): 1–2.
Rajabiun S, Fox J E, McCluskey A et al. Patient perspectives on improving oral health-care practices among people living with HIV/AIDS. Public Health Rep 2012; 127 (Suppl 2): 73–81.
Santella A J, Conway D I, Watt R G . The potential role of dentists in HIV screening. Br Dent J 2016; 220: 229–233.
Deeks S G, Lewin S R, Havlir D V . The end of AIDS: HIV infection as a chronic disease. Lancet 2013; 382: 1525–1533.
May M T, Gompels M, Delpech V et al. Impact on life expectancy of HIV1 positive individuals of CD4+ cell count and viral load response to antiretroviral therapy. Aids 2014; 28: 1193–1202.
Kirwan P D, Chau C, Brown A E et al. HIV in the UK – 2016 report. December 2016. Public Health England, London: 2016. Available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/574667/HIV_in_the_UK_2016.pdf (accepted 2 May 2018).
Rueda S, Mitra S, Chen S et al. Examining the associations between HIV-related stigma and health outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS: a series of meta-analyses. BMJ Open 2016; 6: e011453. 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011453.
Patel N, Furin J J, Willenberg D J et al. HIV-related stigma in the dental setting: A qualitative study. Spec Care Dentist 2015; 35: 22–28. 10.1111/scd.12078.
Mahajan A P, Sayles J N, Patel V A et al. Stigma in the HIV/AIDS epidemic: A review of the literature and recommendations for the way forward. AIDS 2008; 22 (Suppl 2): S67–79. 10.1097/01.aids.0000327438.13291.62.
Goffman E . Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity. Penguin, 1963.
Pulerwitz J, Michaelis A, Weiss E et al. Reducing HIV-related stigma: lessons learned from horizons research and programs. Public Health Rep 2010; 125: 272–281.
Ekstrand M L, Ramakrishna J, Bharat S et al. Prevalence and drivers of HIV stigma among health providers in urban India: implications for interventions. J Int AIDS Soc 2013; 16 (3 Suppl 2): 18717. 10.7448/ias.16.3.18717.
Shiboski C H, Cohen M, Weber K et al. Factors associated with use of dental services among HIV-infected and high-risk uninfected women. J Am Dent Assoc 2005; 136: 1242–1255.
Levett T, Slide C, Mallick F et al. Access to dental care for HIV patients: does it matter and does discrimination exist? Int J STD AIDS 2009; 20: 782–784. 10.1258/ijsa.2009.009182.
McGoldrick C . HIV and employment. Occup Med (Lond) 2012; 62: 242–253. 10.1093/occmed/kqs051.
Williams M . The HIV positive dentist in the United Kingdoma legal perspective. Br Dent J 2009; 207: 77–81. 10.1038/sj.bdj.2009.608
Elford J, Ibrahim F, Bukutu C et al. HIV-related discrimination reported by people living with HIV in London UK. AIDS Behav 2008; 12: 255–264. 10.1007/s10461-007-934434-2.
Beck A T, Epstein N, Brown G et al. An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: psychometric properties. J Consult Clin Psychol 1988; 56: 893–897
Reznik DA . Oral manifestations of HIV disease. Top HIV Med 2005; 13: 143–148.
Arnold E A, Rebchook G M, Kegeles SM . “Triply cursed”: Racism, homophobia, and HIV-related stigma are barriers to regular HIV testing, treatment adherence, and disclosure among young Black gay men. Cult Health Sex 2014; 16: 710–722. 10.1080/13691058.2014.905706.
Feyissa G T, Abebe L, Girma E et al. Stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV by healthcare providers, Southwest Ethiopia. BMC Public Health 2012; 12: 522. 10.1186/1471-2458-12-522.
Croser D . Written off. Br Dent J 2006; 201: 497–499. 10.1038/sj.bdj.4814168.
NHS. Standard Infection Control Precautions, 2010.
Sharp L . The People Living with HIV Stigma Index qualitative data: Findings of the qualitative work undertaken to complement the people living with HIV stigma index. 2010. Available online at http://www.stigmaindexuk.org/reports/final_qualitative_report_nov_2010.pdf? (accessed 2 May 2018).
Avery C M E, Gallagher P, Birnbaum W . cross-infection control: Double gloving and a glove perforation indication system during the dental treatment of HIV-positive patients: are they necessary? Br Dent J 1999; 186: 27–29. 10.1038/sj.bdj.4800009.
Acknowledgements
FPA would like to thank the UK HIV community, our authors, advisory group members and associate partners: PHE, The National AIDS Trust, HIV Scotland and The All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV/AIDS for their unwavering commitment and support. We would also like to thank the people living with HIV who have participated in this research.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Supplementary information
Supplementary information
Assessment of people living with HIV self-image in relation to their HIV status. (PDF 211 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Okala, S., Doughty, J., Watt, R. et al. The People Living with HIV STIGMASurvey UK 2015: Stigmatising experiences and dental care. Br Dent J 225, 143–150 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.530
Accepted:
Published:
Version of record:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.530
This article is cited by
-
Attitudes, knowledge, and practices of Turkish dentists regarding HIV/AIDS: a cross-sectional study
BMC Public Health (2025)
-
Postmenopausal women with HIV have increased tooth loss
BMC Oral Health (2024)
-
Saliva testing
BDJ In Practice (2020)
-
HIV/AIDS: Running away?
British Dental Journal (2018)
-
No sex please, we're dentists
British Dental Journal (2018)
