DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE WITH HIV AND AIDS IN POLAND

The recent increase in HIV seroprevalence in Poland, particularly amon g injecting drug users, has been accompanied by widespread discriminat ion against people affected by HIV and AIDS. As in other countries,thi s discrimination may be attributed to a large extent to fear and ignor ance about HIV and AIDS together with pre-existing prejudices against the people who are most commonly associated with the epidemic. In Pola nd extreme hostility towards drug users combined with the powerful inf luence of a traditional Catholic church have so far impeded effective education about HIV and AIDS and antidiscrimination strategies,