出版社：Universidade Federal do Parana̧, Departamento de Psicologia
摘要：The present article aims to present a brief history of AIDS, relating the medical aspects of the disease to social phenomena, highlighting the individual implications and consequences of being a bearer of a stigmatizing disease. The issue was considered from the theoretical framework of social psychology, specially the social representations theory. Some theoretical concepts that are necessary for the understanding of the theme were also commented: epidemy, prevention and attitudes. Current studies in the area were also identified, as well as the focus in prevention campaigns and the contribution of social representations theory to the study of the disease. Therefore, transformations of AIDS epidemy through history, specially the ones related to transmission forms, tendencies of unstability and vulnerability of the disease and the meanings that are constructed to cope with this reality must be considered in order to stimulate a reflection about the disease's dissemination.
