Alliance India Terminology Guideline

HIV/AIDS; HIV and AIDS

Use the term that is most specific and appropriate in the context to avoid confusion between HIV (a virus) and AIDS (a clinical syndrome). Examples include ‘people living with HIV’, ‘HIV prevalence’, ‘HIV prevention’, ‘HIV testing and counselling’, ‘HIV-related disease’, ‘AIDS diagnosis’, ‘children or phaned by AIDS’, ‘AIDS response’, ‘national AIDS programme’, ‘AIDS service organisation’. both ‘HIV epidemic’ and ‘AIDS epidemic’ are acceptable, but ‘HIV epidemic’ is a more inclusive term.

AIDS virus

There is no AIDS virus. The virus that causes AIDS is the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).Please note that ‘virus’ in the phrase ‘HIVvirus’ is redundant. Use ‘HIV’.

AIDS-infected

No one is infected with AIDS; AIDS is not an infectious agent. AIDS describes a syndrome of opportunistic infections and diseases that can develop as immunosuppression deepens along the continuum of HIV infection from acute infection to death. Avoid ‘HIV-infected’ in favour of person living with HIV or HIV-positive person(if serostatus is known).

AIDS test

There is no test for AIDS. Use HIV test or HIV antibody test. For early infant diagnosis, HIV antigen tests are used.

AIDS victim

Use person living with HIV. The word ‘victim’ is disempowering. Use AIDS only when referring to a person with a clinical diagnosis of AIDS.

AIDS patient

Use the term ‘patient’ only when referring to a clinical setting. Use patient with HIV-related illness (or disease) as this covers the full spectrum of HIV-associated clinical conditions.

Risk of AIDS

Use ‘risk of HIV infection’ or ‘risk of exposure to HIV’ (unless referring to behaviours or conditions that increase the risk of disease progression in an HIV-positive person).

High(er) risk groups; vulnerable groups

Use key populations at higherrisk(both key to the epidemic’s dynamics and key to the response). Key populations are distinct from vulnerable populations, which are subject to societal pressures or social circumstances that may make them more vulnerable to exposure to infections, including HIV.

Commercial sex work

Preferred terms are sex work, commercial sex, or the sale of sexual services.

Prostitute or prostitution

These words should not be used. For adults, use terms such as sex work, sex worker,commercialsex,transactional sex, orthesaleof sexual services. When children are involved, refer to commercial sexual exploitation of children.

Intravenous drug user

Drugs are injected subcutaneously, intramuscularly, or intravenously. Use person who injects drugs to place emphasis on the person first. A broader term that may apply in some situations is person who uses drugs.

Sharing (needles, syringes)

Avoid‘sharing’ in favour of useofnon-sterileinjecting equipment ifreferring to risk of HIV exposure or use of contaminated injecting equipment if the Equipment is known to contain HIVor if HIVtransmission occurred through its use.

Fight against AIDS

Use response to AIDS or AIDS response.

HIV prevalence rate

Use HIV prevalence. The Word ‘rate’ implies the passage of time and should not be used in reference to prevalence. It can be used when referring to incidence over time e.g. incidence rate of 6 per 100 person-years

ARV ARV Drugs

Antiretroviral therapy (ART)

ART medicine

ART treatment

Out Reach Worker

Outreach Worker (ORW)

Sushma, an outreach worker with Vihaan programme delivered ART medicines to Mohan.

Outreach workers motivate people to go for HIV tests.

Female Sex Worker

Virtual Women

Sex Workers, Female Sex Worker

Women in Sex Work operating virtually

Sex Worker

Transsexual

TGH

Third Gender

Homosexual

Transgender People (Umbrella Term)

Transman, Transwoman for individuals

Whenever possible use the term preferred by individuals, such as - Hijra, Kinnar, Aravani, Kothi, Shiv-shakthis, or Jogti hijras

Queer Community

Gender-fluid

Non-binary

Sexual preference

Sexual orientation

Drug user; drug abuser; druggo; druggies; drug fiend

People/person who use/s drugs

Injector; junkie; smack- head; injecting drug user; meth-head

People/person who inject drugs

Recreational drug user

People/person who use/s drugs occasionally or opportunistically

Addict; drug addict; drug abuser; problem[atic] drug user; misuser; substance abuser; person who is addicted

People/person with drug dependence

Addiction; drug addiction; substance abuse; substance use disorder

Drug dependence

Patient

Client/s; service user/s

Relapse; non-abstinent; fallen off the wagon; using again; had a setback; lost cause

Currently using drugs

Clean; sober; drug-free; ex user; in recovery; maintaining recovery; exalcoholic

People/person who has used drugs

Clean/dirty urine/blood

Positive/negative drug screen; Presence/absence of drug metabolite in screening process

Drug using population[s]; affected communities; vulnerable populations

Communities (of people who use drugs); Networks (of people who use drugs); Peer-led networks

Client/s, Beneficiaries

Communities we work with (PLHIV, PWUD, MSM, Transgender People, Sex worker) Or Communities we serve Use ‘client/s’ in reports shared with donors and stakeholders only.