Words Matter: Presenting on Stigmatizing Language in Healthcare at the 2026 International AIDS Conference

Four members of The Well Project's staff presented a poster at the 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Based on findings from our IRB-approved community-based research project illuminating the impact of language, "Words Matter: The Impact of Stigmatizing Language in the Healthcare Setting Among Cisgender and Transgender Women and Nonbinary Adults Living with HIV in the US" features the collaborative work of a diverse, multidisciplinary group of women co-authors.

The qualitative analysis demonstrate that experiences of stigmatizing language can negatively affect individuals’ physical and mental health, self-esteem, and quality of life while also interfering with the public-health goals of HIV care and treatment.

View Mark S. King's video coverage of the poster, featuring the four presenting authors, on My Fabulous Disease

Please check out the poster image below – or download the PDF version!

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You Might Also Like

• The Well Project at the 2026 International Workshop on Women & HIV
• Stigmatizing Language in Healthcare Settings: Results from The Well Project's Research Among Women and Nonbinary Adults Living with HIV
• Why Language Matters: Facing HIV Stigma in Our Own Words
• Exploring Critical Findings from Our Community-Based Survey on Language, Stigma, and Healthcare: A Girl Like Me LIVE
• Sharing the Journey from Stigma to Mindfulness: A Recap from AIDS 2024

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