The following is THE FOREWORD to my book, HIV & AIDS Knowledge and Stigma in Guyana, BY DR. PREMILA WEBSTER, MBBS, DA, MSc, MFPHM, FFPH, DLATHE (Oxon), DPhil (Oxon), Head of School of Public Health – Oxford Deanery, and Director of Education & Training, Department of Public Health, University of Oxford.
The University of the West Indies (UWI) Press recently published this book manuscript. The book launching is scheduled for Thursday, November 28, 2013 at the New Building Society (NBS), top floor at 5pm.PULL QUOTE: ‘When you know better, you do better’ -Maya Angelou

THE first case of HIV in Guyana was reported in 1987. Presently Guyana is described as having a generalised epidemic and if this trend continues it will pose a threat to the social and economic development of the country.
While some headway is being made in the development of more effective HIV/AIDS treatment and resources are being channelled into various interventionsthe level of stigma and discrimination related to HIV/AIDS is still a major issue. This acts as a barrier to the implementation of effective interventions in the fight against the disease. AIDS stigma is universal, but its form varies from country to country and the specific groups targeted vary considerably. Whatever its form, AIDS stigma inflicts suffering on people and interferes with attempts to fight the AIDS epidemic. In 1988, the Institute of Medicine panel in the United States observed that “the fear of discrimination is a major constraint to the wide acceptance of many potentially effective public health measures.”
Although widely recognised as a problem, AIDS stigma has not been studied enough to inform policy makers and assist them to develop evidence-based, effective policies to fight the epidemic. This book written by Professor Misir goes a long way in bridging this gap by comprehensively studying HIV/AIDS knowledge and stigma among high school students in Guyana.
HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death among the 20-49 age group in Guyana. Several of those with HIV/AIDS in their 20s would have contracted the infection in their adolescence. Limited understanding of the myths and misconceptions of HIV/AIDS in this group hampers the implementation of policies related to prevention, education and awareness.The premise of Professor Misir’s research is that one of the main factors that determine who is stigmatised and why in Guyana will depend on the knowledge and beliefs of HIV/AIDS and it is therefore vital to understand the knowledge, myths and misconceptions. This will provide appropriate evidence-based information to policy makers to help them develop effective interventions to control the epidemic in Guyana.
The book sets the scene by outlining the picture of the present situation with HIV/AIDS in Guyana. It then goes on to study the literature related to knowledge and stigma-related attitudes/perceptions in HIV/AIDS. The comprehensive research undertaken to study Guyanese high school students’ knowledge, attitudes/perceptions and stigma-related attitudes/perceptions of HIV/AIDS and the implications of the findings is covered in detail. This book will make a major contribution to the development of evidence-based policy to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Guyana and is a must read book for PH practitioners, researchers and students.
Charlotte Brontë wrote: “…Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilised by education: They grow there, firm as weeds among stones.” This book will both loosen and fertilise the soil in relation to the prejudice and stigma related to HIV/AIDS among young people in Guyana. It will contribute to ensuring that the weeds of stigma are uprooted and effective, evidence-based prevention policies are implemented to support the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Guyana.

 Written By Prem Misir