Media
Coverage of HIV by the media influences and affects public and professionals alike, and has a fundamental role in informing and shaping public attitudes about HIV. Coverage also affects people living with HIV. HIV Scotland therefore welcomes media enquiries and supports accurate and informative reporting on social and scientific issues as well as breaking news.
How HIV Scotland can help
HIV Scotland is able to provide the media with statistics, background and policy information.
HIV Scotland is happy to review or advise on any media coverage, and to provide case studies. We do not have direct access to individuals living with HIV, but we can make contacts should those links be required for case study purposes.
Roy Kilpatrick, Chief Executive for HIV Scotland, may be available for comment or interview on request on relevant news stories. Please contact HIV Scotland on 0131 558 3713 during office hours (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) or use our form to contact us.
To be added to our database to receive press releases please email: kirstie.henderson@hivscotland.com
Previous HIV Scotland press releases can be found in our news and events section.
How to report on HIV
Tips for accurate and non-stigmatising reporting
Do:
- refer to "people living with HIV" (or in some cases "positive people" or "HIV positive people") for those who are HIV positive
- describe people as "affected by HIV" in relation to those individuals or communities ‘close to’ HIV.
- ensure that "HIV" and "AIDS" are in upper case
- use terms such as "tackle", "deal with", "prevent", "effectively treat HIV" or similar terms which say what you mean
- refer to "people who inject drugs" in the context of HIV (rather than drug user or intravenous/injecting drug user)
- use the term "men who have sex with men" (MSM) as this refers to the practice of sex between males, whether they personally identify themselves as gay, homosexual, bisexual or heterosexual
- refer to "HIV Scotland" in full, never abbreviations such as ‘HIVS’
Don't:
- don't refer to people living with HIV as sufferers or victims
- don't refer to HIV/AIDS as if the two are synonymous and interchangeable. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. AIDS is a collection of defined illnesses and is seldom seen in Scotland since the introduction of new treatments
- don't adopt military language such as fighting or battling HIV
- don't overuse the word "stigma" – instead alternatives such as "misunderstanding", "shame", "guilt", "fear", "prejudice", "ignorance" may be used in the appropriate context
Useful links
Acronyms
The following acronyms are frequently used in communications relating to HIV:
- AIDS - Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- ARVs – antiretroviral drugs
- BBV – blood-borne virus
- DoH – Department of Health
- GUM – genito-urinary medicine
- HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus
- HPA – Health Protection Agency
- HPS – Health Protection Scotland
- IDU – injecting drug user
- IVDU – intravenous drug user
- MSM – men who have sex with men