Terms to avoid

Why?

Use instead

Aids

Firstly, because the word already has many meanings. Secondly, because it is an acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and using capitals helps to remind readers.

AIDS

HIV/AIDS

HIV is a virus and AIDS is a syndrome. AIDS occurs as the result of damage to the immune system caused by HIV. They are not the same and the two acronyms should not be used interchangeably. Distinguish between HIV and AIDS, using the terms individually as appropriate, and separate them when talking about both HIV and/or AIDS.

HIV and AIDS

HIV or AIDS

Use one or the other as appropriate

Carrying AIDS

AIDS Carrier

AIDS Positive

This confuses the two distinct phases of being infected with HIV and having AIDS. People can ‘have’ AIDS but can’t ‘carry’ it. PLHA or PLWHA is a common acronym for person/people living with HIV and AIDS

Person living with HIV

Person living with the virus

Person who is HIV positive

Disease

Disease is associated with sickness and being ill and these terms are stigmatising and not relevant to all people who are HIV positive or affected by the virus.

Infection (when referring to HIV)

AIDS-related illness

AIDS prevention

HIV, being a virus, can be transmitted, and is therefore preventable. AIDS as a syndrome is not ‘preventable’ in health intervention terminology.

HIV prevention

AIDS test

The most commonly used test detects antibodies to HIV. There is also an ‘antigen’ test, which detects the presence of the virus itself. This is not as widely used. There is not a test for AIDS, as this depends on a diagnosis according to clinical symptoms.

HIV antibody test

AIDS virus

Previously used as a shorthand term, this can easily cause confusion between HIV and AIDS unless used with caution. AIDS is a syndrome and not a virus.

HIV (Human Immuno-deficiency Virus)

the virus (if ‘HIV’ is too repetitive and the context allows)

HIV virus

The V in HIV already stands for virus so ‘HIV virus’ is too many viruses

HIV

the virus

Catching AIDS

It isn’t possible to ‘catch’ AIDS. It is possible to be infected with HIV. ‘Catching HIV’ is misleading as it suggests transmission is similar to colds or flu.

When someone has AIDS it has developed or diagnosed but not ‘caught’.

Contract HIV

Become HIV positive

Be infected with HIV

Develop AIDS

Have a diagnosis of AIDS

AIDS sufferer

AIDS victim

The term AIDS victim or AIDS sufferer implies that the individual in question is powerless, with no control over their life. Being HIV positive or having AIDS does not mean being ill all the time. Someone who is diagnosed with AIDS can continue to work and live a normal life for some time after diagnosis. If a person’s AIDS-related illnesses are treated and they recover from them then they continue to be HIV positive but they no longer have AIDS. ‘Suffering’ is therefore inappropriate. If someone is ill, it’s more accurate to talk about what illnesses are affecting them rather than summing them all up under ‘ill with AIDS’.

Person living with AIDS

Person who has AIDS

(check whether person living with HIV is more appropriate)

AIDS carrier

HIV carrier

These terms are not correct and are offensive and stigmatising

Person living with HIV or AIDS

HIV positive person

AIDS orphan

This term is derogatory and stigmatising. We should avoid labels for people but use descriptive words for their situation or circumstances.

children affected by HIV (includes children infected and affected)

children orphaned by AIDS

Innocent victim

Referring to people living with HIV and AIDS as innocent victims (which is often used to describe HIV-positive children or people who have acquired HIV medically) wrongly implies that people infected in other ways are somehow guilty or deserving of punishment.

People living with HIV and AIDS

People living with HIV

Children with HIV

High risk groups

It is now clear that there is high risk behaviour, not high risk groups. The fact of being classified as a member of any particular group does not put anyone at greater risk, but what he or she does, regardless of groups, may do.

High risk behaviour

Full blown AIDS

When the correct distinction between HIV and AIDS is always made, there is no need to use the term ‘full blown AIDS’.

AIDS

Intravenous drug use (IVDU)

The term intravenous is very technical and not always accurate depending on the context in which it is being used. Not all injection drug use is intravenous and therefore the term is best avoided

Injecting drug use (IDU)

Avoid

Why?

Use with care

AIDS patient

Only appropriate in a medical context. Most of the time, a person with AIDS is not in the role of patient.

Person living with AIDS

In clinical or home-based care contexts “patients” are sometimes referred to as clients

Catastrophe DisasterPlague

There are still very few parts of the world where this is an accurate description.

Plague suggests a contagious disease, which HIV is not. Epidemic is a better description.

Epidemic or pandemic to describe the global situation or more than one country

Promiscuous

Implies a moral overtone, which may be inappropriate and also imprecise.

Multiple partners

Prostitute

Not everyone who has many partners is a ‘prostitute’. And not everyone who takes money or goods in exchange for sex has multiple partners or considers themselves a sex worker.

Distinguish between sex workers and people who engage in transactional sex as appropriate, also bartering or trading sex, or survival sex

AIDS

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

ARV

Antiretroviral

ART

Antiretroviral Therapy

GIPA

Greater involvement of people living with or affected by HIV and AIDS

HAART

Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus

IDU

Injecting Drug User

OVC

Orphans and vulnerable children

PLHA or PLWHA

People living with HIV and AIDS

PMTCT

Prevention of mother to child transmission