In Australia, there are currently five national strategies addressing HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, and sexually transmissible infections. These strategies represent a coordinated response to reduce the transmission, morbidity and mortality associated with these infections. Each strategy contains its own set of objectives, with progress monitored via a set of related indicators. A clear objective exists within each of the five strategies to “eliminate the negative impact of stigma, discrimination, and legal and human rights issues on people’s health”. This is in recognition of the well known detrimental effects of stigma and discrimination, including on physical and mental health, and in discouraging people from accessing health care.

The Stigma Research Stream documents and monitors the experiences and expression of stigma and discrimination targeted at people affected by blood borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections. Priority populations include men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, people living with HIV, people living with viral hepatitis (B and C) and people who engage in sex work.  This stream also involves development and implementation of new and novel interventions to address stigma and discrimination, particularly in health care contexts, and ultimately improve the quality of care provided to these priority groups.

Brener, L., Broady, T., Cama, E., & Treloar, C. (2022). The impact of sources of stigma on health care avoidance among gay and bisexual men in Australia. AIDS care, 1–9. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2022.2057410

Brener, L., Cama, E., Broady, T., Hopwood, M. & Treloar, C. (2022). Comparing Australian health worker and student attitudes and concerns about providing care to people living with hepatitis B. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 33(1), 282-288. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.475  

Brener, L., Caruana, T., Broady, T., Cama, E., Ezard, N., Madden, A. & Treloar, C. (2022). Addressing injecting related risks among people who inject both opioids and stimulants: Findings from an Australian survey of people who inject drugs. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 15, 100398. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2021.100398

Horwitz, R., Brener, L., Marshall, A. D., Caruana, T., & Newman, C. E. (2022). Optimising community health services in Australia for populations affected by stigmatised infections: What do service users want? Health and Social Care in the Community. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hsc.14037

Jin, D., Brener, L., & Treloar, C. (2022). Hepatitis B-related stigma among Chinese immigrants living with hepatitis B virus in Australia: A qualitative study. Health and Social Care in the Community. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13986

Jin, D., Brener, L., & Treloar, C. (2022). Knowledge and beliefs about hepatitis B virus infection and associated factors among Chinese migrants in Australia: The result of a quantitative study. Health and Social Care in the Community, 30(3), 918-925. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13239

Jin, D., Treloar, C., & Brener, L., (2022). Hepatitis B virus related stigma among Chinese living in mainland China: a scoping review. Psychology, Health and Medicine, 27(8), 1760-1773. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2021.1944651

Treloar, C., Cama, E., Lancaster, K., Brener, L., Broady, T.R., Cogle, A. & O’Donnell, D. (2022). A universal precautions approach to reducing stigma in health care: Getting beyond HIV specific stigma. Harm Reduction Journal, 19, 74. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-022-00658-w

Treloar, C., Lancaster, K., Gendera, S., Rhodes, T., Shahbazi, J., Byrne, M., Degenhardt, L., & Farrell, M. (2022). Can a new formulation of opiate agonist treatment alter stigma?: Place, time and things in the experience of extended-release buprenorphine depot. International Journal of Drug Policy, 107, 103788. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103788

Brener, L., Broady, T., Cama, E., Hopwood, M., Byrne, J. & Treloar, C. (2021). Positive effects of community attachment on internalised stigma and wellbeing among people who inject drugs. International Journal of Drug Policy, 97, 103323. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103323

Broady, T. R., Brener, L. Vuong, T., Cama, E., & Treloar, C. (2021). Online interventions to reduce stigma towards population groups affected by blood borne viruses in Australia. International Journal of Drug Policy 96, 103292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103292

Cama, E., Brener, L., Broady, T., Hopwood, M. & Treloar, C. (2021). Australian health and medical workers’ concerns around providing care to people living with hepatitis B. Health & Social Care in the Community, 29(6), e431-e439. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13368

Djordjevic, F., Ryan, K., Gunn, J., Brener, L., O’Keefe, D., Draper, B., Schroeder, S., Gold, J., Treloar, C., Broady, T., Dietze, P., Hellard, M., & Pedrana, A. (2021). Health service utilization and experiences of stigma amongst people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia. Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 28(12), 1738- 1743. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jvh.13612

Stardust, Z., Treloar, C., Cama, E., Kim, J. (2021). ‘I Wouldn’t call the cops if i was being bashed to death’: Sex work, whore stigma and the criminal legal system. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 10(3), 142-157. http://dx.doi.org/10.5204/IJCJSD.1894

Treloar, C., Hopwood, M., Drysdale, K., Lea, T., Holt, M., Dowsett, G. W., Aggleton, P., & Bryant, J. (2021). Stigma as understood by key informants: A social ecological approach to gay and bisexual men's use of crystal methamphetamine for sex. International Journal of Drug Policy, 94, 103229 – 103229. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103229

Treloar, C., Stardust, Z., Cama, E., & Kim, J. (2021,). Rethinking the relationship between sex work, mental health and stigma: a qualitative study of sex workers in Australia. Social Science and Medicine, 268, 113468. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113468

Broady, T.R., Brener, L., Cama, E., Hopwood, M., & Treloar, C. (2020). Stigmatising attitudes towards injecting drug use, blood borne viruses, and sexually transmissible infections in a representative sample of the Australian public. PLOS ONE, 15(4), e0232218. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232218

Brener, L., Broady, T., Cama, E., Hopwood, M., de Wit, J.B.F., & Treloar, C. (2020). The role of social support in moderating the relationship between HIV centrality, internalised stigma and psychological distress for people living with HIV. AIDS Care, 32(7), 850-857. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2019.1659914

Broady, T.R., Brener, L., Hopwood, M., Cama, E., Treloar, C., & Holt, M. (2020). HIV stigma by association among Australian gay and bisexual men. AIDS, 34(Suppl 1), S53-S61. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/QAD.0000000000002565

Cama, E., Brener, L., Slavin, S., & de Wit, J. (2020). The relationship between negative responses to HIV status disclosure and psycho-social outcomes among people living with HIV. Journal of Health Psychology, 25(4), 538-544. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1359105317722404

Hopwood, M., Cama, E., de Wit, J., & Treloar, C. (2020). Stigma, Anxiety, and Depression Among Gay and Bisexual Men in Mixed-Orientation Marriages. Qualitative Health Research, 30(4), pp. 622 – 633. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1049732319862536

Rance, J., Lafferty, L., & Treloar, C. (2020). ‘Behind closed doors, no one sees, no one knows’: hepatitis C, stigma and treatment-as-prevention in prison. Critical Public Health, 30(2), 130-140. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2018.1541225

Brener, L., Cama, E., Broady, T.R., Hopwood, M., de Wit, J., & Treloar, C. (2019). Predictors of health care workers’ support for discriminatory treatment and care of people who inject drugs. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 24(4), 439-445. https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2018.1546018

Broady, T.R., Cama, E., Brener, L., Hopwood, M., de Wit, J., & Treloar, C. (2018). Responding to a national policy need: Development of a stigma indicator for blood borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 42(6), 513-515. https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12809

Madden, A., Hopwood, M., Neale, J., & Treloar, C. (2018). Beyond interferon side effects: What residual barriers exist to DAA hepatitis C treatment for people who inject drugs? PLoS ONE, 13(11), e0207226. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207226

Rose, G., von Hippel, C., Brener, L., & von Hippel, B. (2018). Attitudes of people working in mental health non-governmental organisations in Australia: A comparison with other mental health professionals. Health Psychology Open, 5(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2055102918765413

von Hippel, C., Brener, L., & Horwitz, R. (2018). Implicit and explicit internalized stigma: Relationship with risky behaviors, psychosocial functioning and healthcare access among people who inject drugs. Addictive Behaviors, 76, 305-311. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.08.036

Brener, L., Cama, E., Hull, P., & Treloar, C. (2017). Evaluation of an online injecting drug use stigma intervention targeted at health providers in New South Wales, Australia. Health Psychology Open, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102917707180

Fraser, S., Pienaar, K., Dilkes-Frayne, E., Moore, D., Kokanovic, R., Treloar, C., & Dunlop, A. (2017) Addiction stigma and the biopolitics of liberal modernity: A qualitative analysis. International Journal of Drug Policy, 44, 192-201. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2017.02.005

Brener, L., von Hippel, C., Wilson, H., & Hopwood, M. (2016). Health workers' support for hepatitis C treatment uptake among clients with a history of injecting. Journal of Health Psychology, 23(8), 1012-1018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1359105316642002

Brener, L., Wilson, H., Jackson, L. C., Johnson, P., Saunders, V., & Treloar, C. (2016). Experiences of diagnosis, care and treatment among Aboriginal people living with hepatitis C. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 40(S1), S59-S64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12402

Cama, E., Brener, L., Wilson, H., & von Hippel, C. (2016). Internalized Stigma Among People Who Inject Drugs. Substance Use and Misuse, 51(12), 1664-1668. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2016.1188951

Treloar, C., Jackson, L. C., Gray, R., Newland, J., Wilson, H., Saunders, V., Johnson, P., & Brener, L. (2016). Multiple stigmas, shame and historical trauma compound the experience of Aboriginal Australians living with hepatitis C. Health Sociology Review, 25(1), 18 - 32, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14461242.2015.1126187

Treloar, C., Rance, J., Yates, K., & Mao, L. (2016). Trust and people who inject drugs: The perspectives of clients and staff of Needle Syringe Programs, International Journal of Drug Policy, 27, 138-145. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2015.08.018

Brener, L., Horwitz, R., Von Hippel, C., Bryant, J., & Treloar, C. (2015). Discrimination by health care workers versus discrimination by others: Countervailing forces on HCV treatment intentions. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 20(2), 148-153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2014.923103

Cama, E., Brener, L., Slavin, S., & de Wit, J. (2015). The impact of HIV treatment-related stigma on uptake of antiretroviral therapy, AIDS Care, 27(6), 739-742. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2014.998614

Cama, E., Wilson, H., Mackenzie, A., & Brener, L. (2015). Hepatitis C Stigma and Empowerment Through Positive Speaking in Sydney, Australia. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 25(5), 418-431. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/casp.2222

Treloar, C., Hopwood, M., Yates, K., & Mao, L. (2015). Doing the devils work": Emotional labour and stigma in expanding Needle and Syringe Programs. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, 22(5), 437-443. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/09687637.2015.1057553

Wilson, H., Brener, L., Mao, L., & Treloar, C. (2014). Perceived discrimination and injecting risk among people who inject drugs attending Needle and Programmes in Sydney, Australia. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 144, 274-278. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.08.018

Brener, L., Callander, D., Slavin, S., & de Wit, J. (2013). Experiences of HIV stigma: the role of visible symptoms, HIV centrality and HIV-positive community attachment for people living with HIV. AIDS Care, 25(9), 1166-1173. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2012.752784

Brener, L., Ellard, J. M., Murphy, D. A., & Callander, D. (2013). Perceptions and deflections: Associations between attitudes towards people with hepatitis C and testing for hepatitis C among Australian gay and bisexual men. Sexual Health, 10(3), 268-274. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/SH12179

Brener, L., Rose, G., Treloar, C., Cama, E., & Whiticker, M. (2013). Mental health support workers' attitudes towards hepatitis C and injecting drug use: Barriers to recovery? Mental Health and Substance Use, 7(3), 217-229. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17523281.2013.806951

Brener, L., Rose ,G., von Hippel, C., & Wilson, H. (2013). Implicit attitudes, emotions and helping intentions of mental health workers towards their clients. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 201(6), 460-463. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0b013e318294744a

Brener, L., von Hippel, C., Horwitz, R., & Hamwood, J. (2013). The impact of pluralistic ignorance on the provision of health care for people who inject drugs. Journal of Health Psychology, 20(9), 1240-1249. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1359105313510336

Brener, L., Wilson, H., Slavin, S., & de Wit, J. (2013). The impact of living with HIV: Differences in experiences of stigma for heterosexual and homosexual people living with HIV in Australia. Sexual Health, 10(4), 316-319. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/SH12170

Deacon, R. M., Mooney-Somers, J., Treloar, C., & Maher, L. (2013). At the intersection of marginalised identities: Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people's experiences of injecting drug use and hepatitis C seroconversion. Health and Social Care in the Community, 21(4), 402-410. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12026

Rose, G., Cama, E., Brener, L., & Treloar, C. (2013). Knowledge and attitudes towards hepatitis C and injecting drug use among mental health support workers of a community managed organisation. Australian Health Review, 37(5), 654-659. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/AH13134

Treloar, C., Rance, J., & Backmund, M. (2013). Understanding barriers to hepatitis c virus care and stigmatization from a social perspective. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 57(S2), S51-S55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cid/cit263

Treloar, C., Rance, J., Grebely, J., & Dore, G. J. (2013). Client and staff experiences of a co-located service for hepatitis C care in opioid substitution treatment settings in New South Wales, Australia. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 133(2), 529-534. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.07.023

Brener, L., Wilson, H., Rose, G., Mackenzie, A., & de Wit, J. (2012). Challenging stereotypes and changing attitudes: improving quality of care for people with hepatitis C through Positive Speakers programs. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 18(2), 242-249. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2012.701753

Resnick, I., Brener, L., Treloar, C., & Hull, P. B. (2012). Health worker attitudes towards peer workers in hepatitis C prevention. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 17(6), 659-666. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2012.656660

Rose, G., Beale, I., Malone, J., Higgin, J., Whiticker, M., & Brener, L. (2012). Problematic substance use in two mental health NGOs, and staff, client and general public attitudes towards problematic substance use amongst people with mental illness. Mental Health and Substance, 5(4), 275-286. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17523281.2012.702518

von Hippel, C., & Brener, L. (2011). Specificity of discrimination: Does it matter from whence it comes? Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 42(4), 1029-1042. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2011.00851.x

Brener, L., von Hippel, W. H., Kippax, S. C., & Preacher, K. (2010). The role of physician and nurse attitudes in the health care of injecting drug users. Substance Use and Misuse, 45(7-8), 1007-1018. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10826081003659543

Brener, L., von Hippel, W. H., von Hippel, C., & Treloar, C. (2010). Perceptions of discriminatory treatment by staff as predictors of drug treatment completion: utility of a mixed methods approach. Drug and Alcohol Review, 29(5), 491-497, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1465-3362.2010.00173.x

Hopwood, M. N., Nakamura, T., & Treloar, C. (2010). Disclosing hepatitis C infection within everyday contexts: Implications for accessing support and healthcare. Journal of Health Psychology, 15(6), 811-818. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1359105310370499

Horwitz, R., Brener, L., Treloar, C., Sabri, W., Moreton. R., Sedrak, A. (2010). Hepatitis C in an Australian migrant community: knowledge of and attitudes towards transmission and infection. Contemporary Drug Problems, 37(4), 659-683. https://doi.org/10.1177/009145091003700408

Brener, L., & Treloar, C. (2009). Alcohol and other drug treatment experiences of hepatitis C-positive and negative clients: implications for hepatitis C treatment. Australian Health Review, 33(1), 100-106. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/AH090100

Brener, L., & von Hippel, W. H. (2008). Measuring attitudes towards injecting drug users and people with hepatitis C. Substance Use and Misuse, 43(3-4), 295-302. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10826080701202627

von Hippel, W. H., Brener, L., Von Hippel, C. D. (2008). Implicit prejudice toward injecting drug users predicts intentions to change jobs among drug and alcohol nurses. Psychological Science, 19(1), 7-11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02037.x

Brener, L., Von Hippel, W. H., & Kippax, S. C. (2007). Prejudice among health care workers toward injecting drug users with hepatitis C: Does greater contact lead to less prejudice? International Journal of Drug Policy, 18(5), 381-387. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2007.01.006

Hopwood, M. N., & Treloar, C. (2007). The drugs that dare not speak their name: Injecting and other illicit drug use during treatment for hepatitis C infection. International Journal of Drug Policy, 18(5), 374-380. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2006.12.018

Hopwood, M. N., Treloar, C., & Bryant, J. (2006). Hepatitis C and injecting-related discrimination in New South Wales, Australia. Drugs: Education Prevention and Policy, 13(1), 61-75/ http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09687630500481150

Fraser, S. & Treloar, C. (2006). `Spoiled identity` in hepatitis C infection: The binary logic of despair. Critical Public Health, 16(2), 99-110. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09581590600828683

Treloar, C., & Holt, M. (2006). Deficit models and divergent philosophies: Service providers` perspectives on barriers and incentives to drug treatment. Drugs: Education Prevention and Policy, 13(4), 367-382. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09687630600761444

Treloar, C., & Cao, W. (2005). Barriers to use of needle and syringe programs in a high drug use area of Sydney, New South Wales. International Journal of Drug Policy, 16(5), 308-315. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2005.06.005

Treloar, C., & Hopwood, M. (2004). Infection control in the context of hepatitis C disclosure: implications for education of healthcare professionals. Education for health (Abingdon, England), 17(2), 183–191. https://doi.org/10.1080/13576280410001711012

Research Team