Psychological And Social Processes That With The Disease Essay

Ever since the first cases of what eventually came to be known as AIDS were diagnosed in the early 1980s, people with HIV/AIDS have been stigmatized. Over time, there have been many misconceptions about this disease. Even though there have been many discoveries, and treatments for HIV have improved over time, there are still many people who understand very little about this disease. This lack of understanding, along with fear, misinformation about how the disease is transmitted, and “moral” judgments made about the types of people who contract HIV, all have led to stigmatization of, and discrimination against, people who are living with HIV/AIDS. Understanding the stigmatization of people with HIV/AIDS is an important social justice issue because that stigmatization can result in people with HIV being insulted, rejected, gossiped about, excluded from family and social activities, fired, and even jailed. People with HIV are no different from people suffering from other chronic diseases. Instead of being alienated, they have a right to be treated with fairness, respect, and dignity.

This deal with addressing the community, family and social networks that people are part of. Nurses should in this case analyze the different social environments that people live in so as to successfully address the AIDs pandemic. This is mainly due to the fact that people may tend to form their attitudes towards the disease depending on their social network. Nurses should form groups, and educate the people as a community, about the effects of the disease on both the community and family, an undertaking which will raise awareness among the community members. This is likely to help the community to be cautious and responsible for their actions, as well as prevent the promotion of any negative values that may increase chances of people in the society acquiring the disease (Levine & What Works Working Group, 2007). Additionally, nursing should address the issue of stigma that family and social networks have towards the AIDs pandemic and those suffering from it, and which hinder people from seeking help and knowing their status (Qubuda & Mphumela, 2009).

In the documentary “The Age of AIDS,” FRONTLINE examines the outbreak of AIDS since its first diagnosed case in 1981. The film investigates different medical, political and social environments under AIDS pandemic in the US and worldwide. The film not only focuses on the scientific research and progress in treating the disease, it also looks at the social stigma, government strategies and public campaigns around different countries.

When the AIDS and HIV virus crept its way into the human-race, it quickly, and without warning, claimed the lives of millions. Then when its destructive wake had finally been abated, it left behind several untold mysteries. Throughout the course of this class, all the new material we have been exposed to has added some unique piece to the puzzle of the AIDS epidemic. Each puzzle pieces have ranged from speculations on how the AIDS epidemic had begun, to what exactly has the epidemic done. We have also tackled the question and how it forced a change in society. Our newest piece of the puzzle is the documentary “The Age of AIDS,” by William Cran. Although this documentary did not surprise me in its content, it did, however, affirm certain types

In the 1980s, a mysterious disease began to take the lives of Americans. With the cause unknown, a fear grew among Americans. An unusually high rate of people was becoming sick with strange and rare diseases. When experimental treatments failed to work, people died. This mysterious disease is what we now know as HIV–Human Immunodeficiency Virus. In the past thirty-five years, the HIV has taken many turns in history. Although we do not hear about HIV and AIDS now, it is still a prevalent issue in the United States and in the world.

In 2015, specifically in LA downtown, I met Sara who is an African American girl who was suffering from HIV virus. She told me her sadly story when she was having sexual things with random people just because of having money. She didn’t have any knowledge about this virus. So, because of that, she got the HIV virus, and she thanked god that she treated so long to be clean. So, some people in this world don’t know what the AIDS means. So, the AIDS is a dangerous virus that attack cells human’s immune system, and if the people who didn’t treat themselves in the hospital, they probably are going to die. It is dangerous because this virus happens when the human’s immune system badly damaged and it becomes impressible to opportunistic infections. When the number of the human CD4 cells decrease below 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood, it is considered to have progressed to AIDS. People who have the AIDS virus need medical treatment to prevent death. Overall, it takes time to treat around one year, and without treatment it is typically survive about three years (AIDS.gov). According to Tony L. Whitehead that between June 1981 and October 1995 in United states that U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention got report of 501, 310 cases of AIDS. In addition, there were sixty-two percent of groups who have died, and although African American was represent only 12 percent of the United States, African American was represent 34 percent among them. In only five years, the

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

Before beginning to analyze the accuracy of the portrayal of the AIDS epidemic throughout Angels in America, the virus must first be looked at in its actual historical context. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is a collection of symptoms and complications due to a deficient immune system that is the result of HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The AIDS epidemic made its presence in the United States known on June 5, 1981 when five men were diagnosed with a rare lung infection, Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia, amongst other infections. The previously healthy, gay men were on the decline due to a compromised immune system. These cases were

In the 1980's the HIV/AIDS epidemic devastated many communities, growing panic over the incurable disease that many people were dying from. In the past, there wasn't a lot of information on how HIV/AIDS was contracted or spread, and thus the epidemic instilled much fear over fatal sexually transmitted diseases. In today’s times I fear that our communities have become distance from HIV/AIDS and other STDs because of large advancements in modern medicine the United States have been able to achieve. Americans don’t seem as worried as they once where about contracting devastating STDs and this is a luxury other areas of the world don’t have. I am aware that in sub-Saharan Africa there are millions of people who are living with HIV, and although more and more adults and children are reported to die each year from this devastating illness (nearly one million in Africa alone) the population grows still, estimating to grow into the millions by 2050( Population Reference Bureau, 2013). This Illness is so disheartening to hear about as it can even be passed down to the infected individual’s children.

About a decade ago HIV and AIDS were merely unknown to the people. Consequently, the rapid growth of HIV marches its way towards AIDS and is becoming more common in an American home. AIDS has led to the death of young adults. Fisher logically explains how “We have killed each other with our ignorance, our prejudice, and our silence. ”(2)

The beginning of the AIDS epidemic started in 1981 when the first case of an unknown disease was publically announced. Since its publication the human immunodeficiency virus and its autoimmune deficiency syndrome have sparked many concerns, medically, ethically, and socially. The following documentary and films expressed awareness to the public, they are:

Many people criticize the biomedical model in relation to AIDS. First, we cannot state that AIDS is real, because nothing is “social and/or culture free” since society has created every idea (Whelan, 2015b); this means that AIDS must be a social construction. Social construction is that human beings make the world they live in (Whelan, 2015b). The people who developed knowledge and science about AIDS has to decide what was relevant and non-relevant, based on their own ideas and personal biases. This may lead to misinterpretation of the information to favor a particular direction in society (Whelan, 2015a). There is also a social construction in the film that AIDS is a homosexual disease; thus, making homosexuality something not natural or healthy because it deviates from normal

At the beginning of the outbreak when there was insufficient knowledge about AIDS, there were numerous false rumors spreading like wildfire about the syndrome. Such as that one could incur AIDS from just touching another, or misrepresenting AIDS as only a threat to homosexual men. This mindset caused many people to isolate themselves, especially those with AIDS, and to spread false knowledge. The mass false knowledge that was being spread all over the country created an obstacle for those with sexual illnesses then and sexual illnesses now. It created a stigma that surrounded those with sexual illnesses and continues to surround them today, even though society has become more accepting of the fact because there is supplementary information about the topic available

Thirty years ago many believed that only gay people contracted the HIV virus, however such speculation was disregarded once millions of people were infected. Humans were afraid to be infected, thus started stereotyping those who were infected in order to protect themselves, but the reality is that no one is safe from the HIV virus. Mary Fisher was one of a few individuals that accepted the cruelty of the virus, only by accepting what HIV is, she was then able to challenge the virus. In order to awaken the society about the reality of AIDS, Mary Fisher’s speech, “A Whisper of AIDS” would send a message of challenge towards the virus and a sense of unity for humans. By balancing three different persuasive appeals: ethos, logos and pathos,

HIV/AIDS has been named a global epidemic because of its many outbreaks around the world. This is not happening on one state, but it is happening in every state and country you could name. It has been a major cause of death in the world, which results in the situation becoming a public health concern. It poses a risk to future generations. The most affected generation being the most active age group, which are the younger ones who are not protecting themselves. HIV is short for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and if it is left untreated, it can develop into AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). This disease is not like many other diseases, once a person come in contact, they cannot get rid of it. This is something that stays in one’s body for the rest their life. HIV attacks a human’s body immune system by attacking the CD4 cells, which causes them not to work properly in fighting off infections. It can become worse if it is left untreated. This is an important topic to researchers because this is something that could affect a person’s life long-term. Barbara Wexler’s “AIDS/HIV” raises several interesting facts such as, how much is treatment, what are the treatment options, what are the different types of coverage, and many more. A more specific issue this book brings to light is whether there can be a way to prevent transmission of this death causing disease.