HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination: Cuban response to its main causes - 2005/2009

María del Carmen Franco Suárez, Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas, Cuba
Mildred Iglesias Linares
Mercedes Mena Martínez, Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas, Cuba
Sonia Catasús Cervera, Universidad de La Habana

With a prevalence of 0.09% among people between 12 and 49 years, and a little more than 8000 people infected till 2008, the AIDS pandemic in Cuba is considered a low level pandemic, the lowest in the LAtin American region and is positioned around the 18th place in the world. It has a rather slow growth rate, and has mainly a sexual transmission, specifically among Men who have Sex with Men (MSM). The article summarizes the Cuban response in the fight against main causes of HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination, its achievements and goals for the coming years. The main source of information are the "Survey on prevention indicators", 2005, 2006,and 2007 (applied to a probabilistic sample of people aged 12 and 49, with a permanent residence in a private dwelling), and the "Survey on PLWHA" 2005, 2007 and 2009 (applied to a probabilistic sample of people 12 and more with positive diagnosis to HIV, from the out-patient care system). Similar sample design in each period allowed the comparison of the results in each case. All results have a variation coefficient oscillating from 5% to 10%.