I did learn what I expected to learn in this class but a little more than what I thought I would. Some of the social issues of STI's were new to me since most health classes that I have taken do not teach that aspect of the disease. The most useful part of this class was learning about the issues in Africa and learning more about the reason of why stuff is the way it is with Aids. Before this class I have heard about that Aids was really bad in Africa but I didn't know all the factors and especially the one that were about society in general. I don't think that anything in the class that was not useful. If I knew about, it just served as a review. I do think that it is important for this class be taught at the university level. Through our research in our anthology that many college students really don't know about STI's. This class is perfect for those students who really don't know much about the subject. The point of view that is taken for this class I think will help anyone in college to be more aware and have a better view of our world.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Guest Aids Lecturer
1. The biggest thing that stuck out to me from the lecturer was the amount of medication that an Aids patient has to take. I didn't know that it was such a huge quantity of pills and tablets. The daily life is a lot more stressful I think because you have to watch out for many things. The diet and exercising has to be more strict for a person to stay alive and be healthy more than a non-Aids person.
2. Bob's experience with Aids is probably very different from those Aids patients around the world. He fits the old stereotype that was here in the US of Aids patients being gay and sexually promiscuous. That stereotype doesn't really describe HIV positive people around the world. It is actually more of a half and half situation between in HIV positive men and women. Places such as Sub-Saharan Africa, the rising group of HIV positive people are heterosexual women being infected by their husband.
Similarities that Bob might have with the rest of the world might be the daily struggle of trying to stay healthy to keep there immune system in check as much as they can. He probably has to deal with the stigma of Aids just like everyone around the world. The stigma of the disease has not fully gone away even here in America let alone in poverty stricken places around the world.
3. The route of transmission that Bob talked about was the one between women that were faithful to their husbands and being infected by them. Social factors that hinder prevention efforts is the patriarchal society that is prevalent in these areas. Women are not suppose to challenge the authority of their husbands. If a women were to ask her husband to use a condom she would be beaten because she would be considered a slut. If she asks for the condom that means she is sleeping around even if the husband is the one being promiscuous.
4. Living in a rural area with Aids is very hard. Access to healthcare is most likely not great and if it is available, it is probably very far away. Money is most likely not sufficient so affording treatment is not possible. There isn't a lot of awareness of the disease because the educational system is not in place. The lack of education is makes people stigmatizing the disease more by not know much about it and it might make it hard for infected people to seek out treatment.
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