Stigma, stigmatism: or labelling is an issue when it comes to finding people who are affected by HCV within our PWID and marginalized population(s). This stigmatism extends beyond this population and into general population as soon as certain terms such as “injecting” “homeless” “mental health” and sadly any sexual reference that is not heterosexual is used. Sigmatism is a multi faceted beast, it is applied by mainstream society against those who are in our PWID and marginalized populations, and often felt as being applied to and against those who are the PWID and marginalized populations. This also has an affect on those individuals who, ‘that one time at band camp back in the day‘ experimented one time decades ago. These individuals are concerned of being labelled if family friends or colleagues learn of their historic use, and unfortunately HCV has a stigma attached that has an association with drug use and marginalized populations activities, real or perceived.
We need to destigmatize HCV, PWID and addiction. Health Network Collective stance is very clear when it comes to destigmatizing the myths, fear and misinformation around addictions, our PWID, and marginalized populations. United Nations Anti-discrimination statements, the Universal Declarations, and Health Network guidelines and obligations found in our courses are a great start place.. In the lesson “Working with others” we discussed coordinated collaborative approaches to working together with our community. This approach gives us the community based ‘friendly faces from familiar places‘ and the expert knowledge and relationships that can help us extend our offer of access to health into these communities. Even the ability, through forming relationships, to link those in need to care for injection injuries and other health issues is invaluable. And of course some of you may already be these faces, thank you and we hope someone extends the courtesy of asking “how can we help“.
Globally, statistically (UNAIDS,2020) 23-39% of new HCV infections are from injecting drug use, PWID’s. One in three HCV deaths can be attributed to injecting drug use, and within our PWID populations HIV HCV co-infection rates are incredibly high.
This shows that over 60% of HCV infections are not from within PWID populations, and 2 of 3 HCV deaths not attributed to injecting drugs.
From unpublished media research, in cohorts whose exposure risk behavior was as much as thirty – forty years previously, a significant number had a fear of disclosure or testing due to the perceived stigma, discrimination, and judgement of HCV with injected drug use. Of this cohort as much as fifty percent will remain undiagnosed and unaware of associated risk, of that fifty percent twenty to twenty-five percent will develop cirrhosis and three to five percent will progress to liver cancer and liver failure.
So, based on that, where ever Health Network Collective can, lets offer to support and enhance the services in place in our PWID communities, and place our efforts (unless the PWID support community is not present) in furthering our reach into the community and people who are making up the over 60% of HCV infections. AND make an effort towards destigmatizing the world of PWID and HCV stigma.
Note; sadly the images of the “zombie drug epidemics” in this age of Fentanyl and synthetic derivatives, the methamphetamine scourge now replacing the prescription fueled days of pharma grade “legal” addictions and other horror stories grace our media and headlines. This is very real, we do need to ask ourselves is this representative of todays age… and sadly the answer in the changing face of the world might just be yes…
