The Effects Of Fear On Hiv And Hiv

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.

HIV and AIDS information is very sensitive because of the potential stigmas that are attached to having one of these conditions. One stigma would be how the person contracted the disease because some people would make the assumption that they contracted it through sexual intercourse or by sharing needles, when in reality they could have contracted the condition from their mother during childbirth. Another stigma would be that only drug users or gay men contract the condition even though this a myth, it is still a stigma. For many people who have HIV or AIDS worry constantly about people knowing and fear of being discriminated because they have this condition. It is not like people want to walk around wearing a label saying,” Hey, look at me, I have HIV”. Anyone is at risk of contracting HIV or AIDS, especially if they have a high-risk behavior. Thankfully the confidentiality of HIV and AIDS

Since it is a disease contracted on one’s own, it is oftentimes seen as the fault of the person living with HIV or AIDS, therefore causing others to feel as though they should not be held responsible for such accomodation. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation between the stigma of HIV and other marginalized groups, such as queer and people of color. For a long period of time there was a general misconstrued idea that this disease only affected gay men or those who were economically disadvantaged and seen negatively, including minority groups.

Luckily, the perception of HIV has changed since then, along with the negative stigma and association with the homosexual community. Activist groups have stepped in to raise awareness to prevent the spread of HIV and allow for a knowledgeable society to emerge. They’re trying to end rumors of ignorance on transmission, which has no scientific backing. HIV cannot be transmitted through any casual contact, including drinking fountains, shaking hands, sitting on a bus, and even kissing will not transfer the virus. These activists cannot improve the

But before we discuss ways in reducing HIV stigma, we should talk about what it consists of in Baton Rouge. Stigma can become a chronic stressor that leads to poor coping skills, inadequate self-care, and risky sexual behaviors (Johnson et al. 72). According to an HIV Infrastructure Study conducted by the Southern HIV/AIDS Initiative, they discussed what the HIV stigma consisted of in Baton Rouge. After a few interviews with employees in HIV/AIDS clinics and people living with HIV/AIDS, they stated that one of the main reasons why people refuse to go to a clinic to get HIV tested or delay testing is because they are afraid that people they know might see them getting tested and assume the worst from them (Reif et al. 12). People also don’t want to get tested because they fear the repercussions of getting tested positive for HIV and that their family or loved ones might shun them away if they were HIV-positive. People should not care about who is going to see them getting tested because they are being smart about taking steps in knowing their HIV status instead of waiting to show signs of AIDS infection and then it’ll be too late to get any treatment. Moreover, one study evaluating the HIV Stigma Scale had some key observations. Out of one-hundred and ten HIV-positive African-Americans that were picked for this study, some of the appalling statements they agreed with the most

The number of PLHIV in these two countries has huge different, and South Africa has the biggest number of PLHIV in the world (AVERT, 2016). This essay will also explore the how social associated with stigma and discrimination and health care system, and find out how social gradient impact on this vulnerable group of people.

Moreover, HIV affects everyone across the globe. Today in the community HIV is known as the fear disease. In today society, everyone fears of catching the viruses although they are more dangerous disease out there still the norms about HIV are high. In the early 20s when the virus was first detected, treatments were poor, and the prognosis was death. However, in today society HIV made progress. The once known the death sentence virus turn tables to a manageable disease so how this disease continue to affect the community? First of all, the numbers of new HIV cases continue to increase according to the national Institute of Allergy and infectious Diseases (NIAID). Also according to NIAID more than 1.1 million people in the U.S population are infected and more than 20 percent are unaware of the fact they are infected. Also an average of 50,000 new cases reported each year not even mentions the ones unaware of their

Looking at the specific disease of HIV/AIDS, there is a captivating negative stigma surrounding anyone infected or possibly infected because others are fearful. This stigma is so potent because the disease usually starts from a homosexual and then spreads, attacking

When a person finds out that someone has AIDS they assume they can get it. Yes AIDS are contagious but it is not contagious by contact. You can only get it through blood and unprotected sex. People with AIDS are often mistreated. People without AIDS treat them differently because they are not as healthy as they are. People with AIDS are bullied, and because of that they may commit suicide. Most may just move residences and jobs because they do not want more people to find out other than the people that may have already found out. “To avoid rejection and humiliation, Central Americans living with HIV may change residence, avoid seeking services in nearby health centers, or fargo medical attention altogether” (Gonzalez). In some people's eyes a family member may have AIDS but they think they are still healthy because their love for them. All people should be treated the same with or without AIDS. We are all still human and nobody with AIDS should be mistreated. Even though the person may have made a bad decision on whether to have protected sex or not they should still be treated equally. Some people don't even get through sex, they get it through birth because of the mother may have had it. That is one cause of an early death. Not all of people who has a mother with AIDS have been born with the infection. Sometimes they just don’t get the infection through birth which is a good thing. But to the kids that may have AIDS

Ever since the early 21st century, there have been many stigmas and discrimination towards individuals who have contracted certain viruses such as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). According to studies, HIV traces back to the 1920s in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as AIDS. By the 1960s, HIV had made its way to Haiti by transport routes and workers who had been temporarily staying in Congo returning to their homes. Those who had the virus dealt with extreme discrimination, as well as racism and stigma. Soon enough, the deadly disease had arrived to The United States of America, and its bountiful population did not react well. People began to associate HIV and AIDS with gay men,

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

The paradox in this treatment regiment rests in the fact that adherence to ARVs permits the concealment of HIV’s physical signs, thereby allowing the patient to remain invisible as desired (Prince 162). While ARVs allow those with HIV/AIDS to lead essentially normal lives, they also hinder the connection between public and personal narratives. As Moele poignantly states in The Book of the Dead, the personified HIV housed within Khutso actually wants Khutso to take ARVs due to their ability to conceal HIV and allow a continued chain of transmission (Moele 133). Moele’s book suggests that a conscious HIV would prefer to remain concealed and infect more individuals, going so far to call HIV+ individuals “soldiers” in an army (Moele). In a sense, HIV itself as well as the individual’s fear of stigma hinders visibility and, consequently, the marriage of personal and public narratives. The fear of stigma introduces a secondary paradox in the discord between ARVs and visibility, as visibility can be “deployed as a tactic to transform perceptions of HIV/AIDS from being a stigmatized condition into an ordinary disease…and not least to demonstrate to the Global North the power of free ART programs to save lives” (Prince 168). The most effective way to reduce or eliminate stigma rests in visibility, but

There is currently no cure for HIV. Although, the human immunodeficiency virus is treatable, there is currently no vaccine available to prevent people from becoming infected by human immunodeficiency virus. Once a person becomes infected with HIV, the virus will be in that person body for the rest of their life. Research indicates that once a person becomes diagnose with HIV, denial, acute depression, and anxiety are all forms of responses (Rubenstein, & Sorrentino, 2008). In order to develop a good treatment plan, one must consider the mental health, peer relationships, support system, family relationships, intimate relationships, work, as well as the overall health of the patient in order to develop an efficient treatment plan (Rubenstein, & Sorrentino, 2008). A treatment plan that adequately addresses the patients biopsychosocial needs is vital in order to treat the patient needs.

Many individuals are afraid to get tested for HIV and are afraid of the stigma associated with HIV when disclosing their status to partners. They are often subject to their own psychological and other social stress which often hinders appropriate management of the infection. This is not always without reason as disclosure of an HIV status can lead to exclusion from ones family, friend-circle or dismissal from the workplace. However disclose to a family member, partner or friend can provide psychological and later physical support. Also the fear of individuals they love finding out that they are HIV positive may lead to anxiety or isolation. Non-disclosure can often affect healthcare and management of the persons’ disease as the fear of dependents finding out will require the individual to hide taking the medication and use personal funds to pay for treatment to avoid the medical insurance company from informing co-dependants (Alonzo & Renolds 1995).

There are HIV-related stigmas and discriminations that refer to the prejudice, abuse and negativity that is shown towards people living HIV and aids.in many countries with available data, over 50%of people have been said to have shown discriminatory attitude toward people living with HIV and AIDS. These stigmas have made people living with this