Hiv/Aids Summary of Research Study

“Everyday the HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to kill three times as many people than died during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001” (Elbe 2006, p.119). The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) weakens the immune system by destroying the cells that fight disease and infection. In the final stages of the HIV infection, it can lead to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Not all people who are diagnosed with HIV progress to acquiring AIDS, although once you have been diagnosed with the HIV infection, you have it for life. HIV/AIDS have claimed the lives of more than 39 million people globally since the discovery (World Health Organisation 2014) with a majority of these cases being in sub-Saharan Africa.

Popular culture and mainstream media offer misleading and erroneous explanations for drastic dissimilar impact of HIV/AIDS in minority groups. One

Gender differences and its inevitable double standard are apparent among young women and men when it comes to practicing safe sex in order to protect against AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Something different is expected from each gender, and men continue to possess the sexual hegemony that they have for centuries. Men are expected to give full disclosure of sexual history to their female partner and women are expected to have no sexual

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) came about after an epidemic of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) surfaced in the 1980’s affecting the lives of gay men. It was first said to be gay related immune deficiency (GRID) (Baeten, 2012) and was sexually transmitted. This deadly disease has caused millions of deaths, but during its thirty plus years of existence; many breakthroughs have come about to make this a treatable disease. A few years later, cases of females being infected surfaced and it was believed that this disease was transmitted from heterosexual intercourse (Coates, 2014). Then there were cases of young children developing AIDS which was believed to be transmitted from an infected mother while carrying

A study on HIV infections found that accessible sexually transmitted disease (STD) screening, community-directed interventions, sex education and services were the most beneficial (Kessler, Myers, Nucifora, Mensah, Kowalski, Sweeney, Braithwaite, 2013). However these services are not used prominently due to inconvenience, cultural reasons, and distrust towards the programs (Ma, Raymond, Wilson, McFarland, Lu, Ding, Xiao, 2012). These services need to become more community friendly, accessible and safe in order to engage the public (Ma et al., 2012). Governments cannot enforce the usage of these services but early HIV education in schools can be mandated to help eliminate stigmas and encourage usage of these services (Felten, Kok, & Kocken, 2016). Prevention measures work because they target HIV’s modifiable risk factors through education, circumcision, condoms, and a variety of other approaches (Kessler et al., 2013). Adequate prevention measures are needed to prevent negligence and

This article focuses on what comprises an effective and efficient preventative education program as it relates to HIV/STD prevention relative to sexual activity. Techniques of teaching are taught to reinforce the behaviors and activities that lead to the spread of HIV and AIDS.

Religious beliefs also prevent safe sex learning for teens and young adults. Another example in the article Selling Safe Sex in Public Schools, due to Christian beliefs it prevents teens from learning another way to prevent sexual diseases instead of the only idea of abstinence. As quoted “Although her home stone high school teaches abstinence as the only safe sex alternative, know was shocked to learn that Lubbock Texas, has some of the highest rates of teen pregnancy”. Due to the idea of teens who must be pure and never do sexual actions until they are officially married because of the bible they are never taught an alternative to safe sex. It’s vital for teens to learn about safe sex to prevent them from std’s and actions they will

To address the communication problem, we must understand that there have been many alternative names that human-beings have given to HIV/AIDS and the amount of information and knowledge of the sexually transmitted disease has gone into overload since the huge epidemic, primarily during the twentieth century. This overload of information has caused many to disregard the issues and as an ending result caused many to focus on the issue and factors associated with HIV/AIDS as much as many once did in the past. Although HIV/AIDS no longer dominate the headlines, we must wonder are health professionals and AID advocates still giving out all the clear signs because it is apparent that HIV/AIDS are still a danger to society.

Though the disease is still infecting many, new technology and medical techniques that include medication have made it possible to live a normal life after being infected with the HIV virus. Doctors are now far past the era in which they would deny care to an HIV-positive patient and that is because they are aware of the disease and are not afraid. Being afraid of something can unknowingly turn a person into a monster. Since being educated doctors and other healthcare professionals have been able to turn a new leaf and hop over to the supporting side of AIDS. Other than being under a doctor’s care, successful strategies for combating AIDS include “increasing awareness about prevention strategies such as using clean needles and condoms and, most recently, promoting male circumcision” (Conley 442). All these biological measures combating the chemical nature of AIDS work hand in hand to reform the social structure of the disease. Those living with AIDS in the United States today are not looked at as if they are lepers, instead they are view as survivors and

Since then, HIV has gained a larger host population, with most transmissions occurring due to unprotected sex, although a smaller percentage of transmissions occur due to unsafe drug use. Several factors have caused HIV to continue to exist in the population. One factor is stigmatism towards the disease. An article by Ronald Valdiserri (2002) discussed a study done in the 1990s and early 2000s about people’s perception of HIV and HIV screening. The article concluded that about one fifth of the general population either feared individuals with HIV or believed that those who got infected got what they deserved (p. 341-342). This stigmatism has caused individuals to be wary and reluctant to go get tested. Thus infected

A specific health belief in this population is simply the lack of education on syphilis as a serious health threat. A study conducted in Baltimore, showed that men over the age of 40 reported a higher knowledge of syphilis, which could suggest that contraction of the disease affected past generations (“Syphilis Elimination Effort”, 2002). Thus, individuals may have heard of the disease, however they have no sense of worry in contraction. Through research, it seems that individual perceptions of syphilis as a serious health threat begin to vary as the social circle

It is true that some of the first cases of HIV and AIDS in America were found in gay males. However, once the disease was more widely researched, it was discovered that people other than gays could become infected with the virus, including children, women, and recipients of blood transfusions. Promiscuity among homosexuals is no more common than among straight people ("Sexual Behaviors Text 2"). While having multiple partners and sharing needles through drug use are common causes of AIDS, these things are not exclusive to the gay community.

The early days of the AIDS epidemic drastically contrast AIDS in the present day. In order to get deep insights into the early days of the epidemic, two interviews were conducted. The two individuals interviewed were Scott and Susan. Both were in their 20’s when AIDS first emerged in 1981. Scott’s connection with HIV is extremely personal, as he was infected with the virus in 1987 and continues to remain HIV positive. On the other hand, Susan, is more removed from the situation having not personally experienced it. Scott currently works as a health educator for youth and speaks all around the country about both his story and about sexual education. Susan works in a preschool in Florida and is enjoying her life with both of her children at college. The 1980’s were a period of hiding and fear of HIV, it was not talked about during this time. Both public opinions and public health center’s (hospitals) decisions during this time did not help the growing stigmatization that HIV and AIDS patients already faced. Public education about HIV around the world through speakers like Scott and Florence from Uganda helped alleviate the fear and stigma behind HIV and AIDS to its current state of cultural acceptance and normality.

HIV or the Human Deficiency virus is like other viruses including the flu, but the one thing that makes this virus so different than any other is that the body is unable to clear this one out completely. Once someone is infected, there is no cure. Over time, HIV can also hide or mask itself in the body's cells. The cells within a person's body that fight off infection are called CD4 cells or T cells. HIV attacks these cells and copies or replicates itself inside these cells, then destroys them. HIV over time will destroy so many of these cells that the body is unable to fight off infection anymore. When this starts happening, AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome happens which is the final stage

In the last three decades HIV/ AIDS has become the one of the most notorious and widely spread diseases in the modern world. Its discovery in the late seventies prompted worldwide concern. The one thing that has become the most bothersome thing about the HIV/ AIDS epidemic is prevention. Prevention or stopping the transmission of the diseases is hindered by factors such as: denial or non-acceptance by infected persons, unsafe sex, and non-disclosure by infected persons to their at risk sexual partner(s). According to Alghazo, Upton, and Cioe (2011):