HIV Stigma Policy in China and Thailand at the Turn of the 2020s

Stigma has been called a “structural barrier” and “systemic factor” in the way of addressing HIV both among the general population and, especially, the key populations in China and Thailand – men who have sex with men, transgender people, people who use drugs, and sex workers. In healthcare settings, stigma is an obstacle for individuals to access testing and treatment services due to fear of stigma or disclosure of their identity and HIV status. As the global effort to combat the HIV pandemic increasingly focuses on “treatment as prevention,” the need to eliminate stigma and discrimination becomes more crucial. This article presents an analytical framework based on the best global practices for addressing HIV stigma through legal and regulatory measures and within healthcare settings. The study confirms that Thailand’s HIV legal framework and policies effectively contribute to reducing the stigma and discrimination of key populations, while China could benefit from adopting similar practices. However, the article also highlights that even the most effective HIV stigma measures are insufficient to rapidly reverse the impact of HIV policies.