Telling our stories: describing the experiences and contributions of African migrants living with HIV.

HIV in the UK is concentrated in a few key populations, and African migrants are among them. To date, there has been no documented record of the personal experiences of this group to accompany the significant amount of epidemiological data on these communities. There is no record celebrating the contribution, resilience and lived experience of Africans living with HIV in the UK, their allies and their response to the epidemic. A group of African women who are long-standing HIV activists and advocates, much respected for their leadership within the HIV community, considered that it was important to capture and tell these stories to ensure they were accurately recorded in the history of HIV. Their experience spans the story of the African community's experience of HIV in the UK. They formed a steering group and the project aimed to showcase 40 stories to coincide with the 40th anniversary of HIV in 2021.

Ageism: the -ism affecting the lives of older people living with HIV.

WHO defines ageism as stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination based on age. Ageism is a multidimensional concept that encompasses multiple components related to the individual, the social group, and the institution in different cultural and environmental settings. In people ageing with HIV these elements include self-stigma, discrimination in society, and experiences in care, many of which are unique to older people. In this Position Paper, we use experience of people with HIV and clinicians taking care of them to explore these issues in high-income countries. The intersectionality of multiple -isms, which affect the lives of older people living with HIV, and ageism enhance several HIV-related issues, including self-inflicted stigma, and loneliness. Research is needed to explore how ageism contributes to worse physical, mental, and social wellbeing outcomes for people with HIV. The model of care for older people living with HIV needs to go beyond virological success by adopting a geriatric mindset, which is attentive to the challenge of ageism and is proactive in promoting a comprehensive approach for the ageing population. All stakeholders and the community should work together to co-create institutional strategies and educational programmes and enable respectful intergenerational dialogue to foster a stigma-free future for older people living with HIV.