HIV-Themed Podcast Will Combine Scientific Reporting with Personal Storytelling

A widely adopted, relatable channel

Thanks to institutions like USF and its centers of excellence, scientific advances are being made at an accelerated rate. While the benefits of this work, which include advancements in HIV diagnostics, prevention and treatment, are undeniable, public perception can lag behind, creating a knowledge gap where potentially harmful myths and misinformation can flourish. Bahia believes the widely adopted podcast format, which is consumed monthly by 55 percent of Americans aged 12-plus,¹ offers a low-barrier and relatable channel to close that gap.

She says, “Most people at this point have listened to at least one podcast, and it's easy to do, so you can create a format that allows for storytelling, for producing something that is fact-based. It's a way to allow people to hear from others and to connect. And they can do it in the privacy of their own homes. That is important, considering the societal stigma that’s still attached to HIV.”

She says the podcast format allows individuals to learn about new treatments, support resources and care organizations while maintaining privacy. More than just a learning opportunity, she says the podcast can help people realize they are not alone and empower them to confidently plan the next steps in their journey.

Myths and misinformation around HIV² can severely hamper testing initiatives. Bahia hopes a well-designed and produced podcast can expand reach and build trust in marginalized communities.

Bahia has extensive experience in making complex subjects relatable, accessible and engaging. She founded the nonprofit Scientists, Inc. in 2013, during her 13-year tenure at USF, and for the past 10 years has been host, editor and producer of its 2Scientists podcast. Shortly after the 2Scientists launch, she was recruited by Moffitt Cancer Center to produce their Cancer in Our Community podcast.

A more human approach

By sharing the personal stories of the people affected by scientific discoveries, science can be much more empathetic, and scientific information can be conveyed in a way that is more human and easier to understand. Bahia plans to distinguish the podcast series by presenting a narrative framework that pairs personal storytelling (including her own personal and professional experiences) with investigative reporting and clear, evidence-based explanations. She also plans to inject a bit of humor into very serious discussions about HIV, making the conversations relatable and fully capitalizing on the format’s ability to deliver accurate and stigma-reducing information around a range of HIV subtopics.

While there are other podcasts about HIV/AIDS, Bahia is confident this one will be a uniquely important resource for the Tampa Bay community.

Bahia is no stranger to cultural and social stigma. A woman of South-Asian descent from a conservative Indian family, she struggled with her decision to marry outside the culture (her husband and Scientists, Inc. co-founder Dr. David Basanta is Spanish) and draws a parallel to the family rejection faced by some in the LGBTQ+ community. And she is quick to point out how difficult it may be for those from culturally conservative backgrounds to talk openly about subjects like sexually transmitted infections.

She says, “The stigma is still attached [to HIV]. LGBTQ people and their rights are under attack, and that might make people a bit reluctant to be more public about their personal lives. I think a host of marginalized groups are suffering, not just because of the stigma, but also the access. For example, you'll have people who are of an economic background who don't easily find ways to take time off work to go and get tested, or to go and learn more about the things they need.”

More than a science program

With the Mapping HIV podcast, Bahia plans to use her experience in the format, expertise as a science communicator, and biomedical research background to go well beyond the simple delivery and simplification of scientific information. Her goal is to help people gain a better understanding of HIV and its impact on everyone’s lives, and to connect people with resources, advocates, and testing and care providers.

The series will present a 360-degree view of HIV’s medical, social, economic, and public policy aspects, encompassing its origins and early history, public perception and policymaking, major advancements since the 1980s, and promising research into vaccines, cure strategies and delivery innovations.

HIV science has come a long way. The podcast discussions will highlight how dramatically HIV treatment has changed. Modern treatments that can suppress viral load and the evolution of PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) are examples of significant medical advances that enhance quality of life and health equity but may not be widely understood. Informed by Bahia’s own experience studying HIV, discussions of the science and epidemiology behind HIV will feature researchers and clinicians, some known, others relatively unknown, on the front lines of the fight. One such potential guest is Dr. Robert Gallo, a co-discoverer of the virus who joined the USF faculty in 2024.

The podcast’s weekly episodes will answer common questions about HIV and AIDS:

• Who is affected, and why?
• Why is HIV so widely misunderstood?
• Why is Florida such an HIV “hot spot?”
• Prevention strategies – what’s working now?
• How do screening, linkage-to-care and case management work?
• How has public perception of HIV changed as testing and treatment have evolved?

Among the not-so-common topics planned for discussion is the economic cost of HIV, as individuals and families balance work, caregiving and chronic illness. Content focused on stigma reduction, one of Bahia’s top priorities, will include “myth vs. fact” segments and survivors’ voices intended to foster listener empathy and understanding.

The podcast’s reach will be enhanced by downloadable show notes and transcripts, care directories, and fact sheets for clinicians, educators and the public, and measured using hosting analytics that track listens, downloads and listener geography. An evolving sustainability plan calls for workshops, panels, and in-person or online meetups presented through the Scientists, Inc. nonprofit.

Bahia is also confident in the podcast’s ability to amplify the grassroots community outreach efforts of local organizations that strive to reach people where they are with rapid HIV testing and linkage to care.

Susan Terry Foundation executive director Ray Carson feels the first podcast episode can’t come soon enough, saying, “One of the most extraordinary public health stories of my lifetime has been watching HIV move from a hopeless condition to one that is highly treatable. Understanding how that progress occurred offers valuable lessons for addressing other diseases and health challenges. Sometimes barriers to care are not physical; they are built and reinforced by misinformation or cultural attitudes. The ‘Mapping HIV’ podcast series Dr. Bahia and her Scientists, Inc. team are planning will help connect the public with the science behind HIV innovation and show how knowledge, research and education can drive better outcomes for everyone.”

HIV requires a different conversation

Through her experience hosting the Moffitt podcast, Bahia has seen how the public perception of HIV and cancer contrast. Both have seen incredible advances in diagnostics and treatment. But with HIV, she says a different kind of conversation is required; one that you probably wouldn’t have for any other disease.

She reasons that HIV’s perception issues are driven in part by people’s attitudes about sexuality and sexual identity. Within some cultures, HIV may still be considered a “gay disease” and taboo for discussion.

She says, “With cancer, you're talking about a disease that doesn't have the same kind of stigma attached to it, but [with HIV] people may find it hard to get to the services they need, to get screened and get treated if they are positively diagnosed. And obviously in the case of HIV, you have these incredible treatments now that allow people to keep the viral load under control and so they can live normal lives. But again, that requires them to have the ability to maintain consistency in getting the treatment. So, it's a more complex issue.”

Bahia hopes the podcast will help to rewrite the HIV story, deflating stigma, converting its influence into the empowerment of a well-informed community, and helping to normalize HIV screening as a routine aspect of healthcare. Scientific progress alone doesn’t eliminate stigma, misinformation or barriers to care, but with the Mapping HIV podcast, Bahia hopes she can make HIV a topic that people can talk about more openly, understand accurately, and approach fearlessly.