1. I learned that a lot of people look at you funny and often don't even want to touch you. I also learned that you really have to take care of yourself. This includes eating right, excersing, and keeping your imune system as healthy as possible.
2. I think Bob's experience is similar to other people who were promiscuous, and later found out that they were HIV +. I think the psychological effects are very much the same as well. Finding out you have an incurable disease takes a bit of getting use to. His experience is probably different from those who are not promiscuous. Someone may have contracted the disease from a cut on the fingure or in the mouth. The psychological effects for this individual might be different in that they never felt like they deserved it.
3. The route that Bob skinner talked about was that in rural areas, it is more common to have heterosexual transmission. Prevention can be limited in these rural areas because it is a lot harder to inform people in there. They don't have as many connections to the ouside world, and a lot of times they just don't want to be bothered. In some places, such as Africa, many of he people don't want to listen to what others have to say about STDs or they just don't believe them.
4. Living in a rural region makes treating HIV difficult because a lot of times those are the people who have little money so they cannot afford treatment. It is also hard to treat these people because sometimes it is hard to get such treatment out there or it is difficult for the people to come and get treatment.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Reflection
In reflecting on the term, I definitely didn't think that I would learn as much as I did. I especially didn't think that I would enjoy it as much as I did. It ended up being my favorite class. It was also the class I did the best in. I wasn't expecting to learn so much about HIV/AIDS. I knew it would be covered, but I really didn't know that there was that much information about it. I also didn't think I would learn about the ethics of STDs or the horrible things that happened in Tuskegee. I am glad that I learned about those issues because it made me think and really realize that STDs are a lot more serious than most people know.
I think the most useful information was learning about how to prevent getting infected with an STD and also how you can be infected. I thought it was a lot easier to get some STDs than just sexual acts, but I learned that it's not very easy to get an STD from a toilet seat. I honestly don't think that any of the the information that I learned in the course was useless. I thought all of it was important and necessary to know. If I were to change anything for next time I would try and make the microbiology part a little more interesting, if that was at all possible.
I think that it is great that this subject is taught at a university level, but I think it would be much more important and beneficial to be taught in a mandatory high school course. The reason is because students would HAVE to take it rather than it being an option, and they would know this information at a younger age where they might be getting into sexual activities. By giving this information at this age, it could be possible to decrease the amount of STDs that are spreading so quickly.
I think the most useful information was learning about how to prevent getting infected with an STD and also how you can be infected. I thought it was a lot easier to get some STDs than just sexual acts, but I learned that it's not very easy to get an STD from a toilet seat. I honestly don't think that any of the the information that I learned in the course was useless. I thought all of it was important and necessary to know. If I were to change anything for next time I would try and make the microbiology part a little more interesting, if that was at all possible.
I think that it is great that this subject is taught at a university level, but I think it would be much more important and beneficial to be taught in a mandatory high school course. The reason is because students would HAVE to take it rather than it being an option, and they would know this information at a younger age where they might be getting into sexual activities. By giving this information at this age, it could be possible to decrease the amount of STDs that are spreading so quickly.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
1. I learned that a lot of people look at you funny and often don't even want to touch you. I also learned that you really have to take care of yourself. This includes eating right, excersing, and keeping your imune system as healthy as possible.
2. I think Bob's experience is similar to other people who were promiscuous, and later found out that they were HIV +. I think the psychological effects are very much the same as well. Finding out you have an incurable disease takes a bit of getting use to. His experience is probably different from those who are not promiscuous. Someone may have contracted the disease from a cut on the fingure or in the mouth. The psychological effects for this individual might be different in that they never felt like they deserved it.
3.
2. I think Bob's experience is similar to other people who were promiscuous, and later found out that they were HIV +. I think the psychological effects are very much the same as well. Finding out you have an incurable disease takes a bit of getting use to. His experience is probably different from those who are not promiscuous. Someone may have contracted the disease from a cut on the fingure or in the mouth. The psychological effects for this individual might be different in that they never felt like they deserved it.
3.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
HIV Theories
In reading about the different theories, I decided to choose the 'Hunter' Theory and the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) theory. In reading them, I think that one of them is definitely plausible, but the other seems a little far fetched.
The 'Hunter' Theory, I believe, is plausible. I think that it is definitely possible that hunters were hunting chimps and possibly cut themselves or ate the meat and infected themselves. Considering how fast HIV cells replicate, I think that theses hunters could have easily infected others they came into contact with. It is very plausible that they brought the disease back with them to wherever they were from and infected whomever they came into contact with.
The OPV Theory, I do not believe, is very plausible. I think that it is a little far fetched that that Chat was grown in kidney cells taken from local chimps infected with SIVcmz. For one thing oral administration would might make it hard for HIV to infect the body since it must be infected directly in the blood. It is also said that HIV already existed before the polio vaccines were ever created.
I think that it would be very helpful to understand how the virus was transmitted to humans because it might help to figure out how to eradicate it. I also think that the more we know about the virus, the better we can control it.
The 'Hunter' Theory, I believe, is plausible. I think that it is definitely possible that hunters were hunting chimps and possibly cut themselves or ate the meat and infected themselves. Considering how fast HIV cells replicate, I think that theses hunters could have easily infected others they came into contact with. It is very plausible that they brought the disease back with them to wherever they were from and infected whomever they came into contact with.
The OPV Theory, I do not believe, is very plausible. I think that it is a little far fetched that that Chat was grown in kidney cells taken from local chimps infected with SIVcmz. For one thing oral administration would might make it hard for HIV to infect the body since it must be infected directly in the blood. It is also said that HIV already existed before the polio vaccines were ever created.
I think that it would be very helpful to understand how the virus was transmitted to humans because it might help to figure out how to eradicate it. I also think that the more we know about the virus, the better we can control it.
White Privilege
After reading White Privilege, I would have to say that I do agree with Peggy McIntosh. One thing that stood out to me was when McIntosh said, "In proportion as my racial group was being made confident, comfortable, and oblivious, other groups were likely being made less confident, uncomfortable, and alienated." I think that people don't realize that when their race is being privileged or made welcome, that it is making other races feel underprivileged and not welcome. If your going to raise one race up, another is probably going to have to go down.
McIntosh also goes on to talk about how ignorant we are as white people. She states that most "students" don't even realize that racism even affects their race because it only affects those of color. I think that many of us are blinded by this fact. I think that there is racism towards whites as well as other races. We just don't talk about it as much or notice it because we have had such a history with racism in blacks and Native Americans.
One thing that I noticed that Peggy McIntosh didn't discuss is that other races have privileges that whites do not. For instance, Native Americans are given a certain amount of money just for being Native American. Some blacks are chosen to go to certain Universities or to receive certain scholarships just because they are black. McIntosh failed to mention this fact. Other races are privileged for some reason or another. Total equality is going to be very hard to achieve because it is hard to make everyone happy. There will always be someone who feels underprivileged or left out.
I think that privilege can affect the spread and treatment of HIV/AIDS by singling certain races or sexes out and accusing them of being more prone to STDs when this is not always true. For instance, I think that by saying that only poor people contract HIV that upper classes will think they are amune and will unknowingly contract and spread the disease.
I do think that addressing larger systems of oppression is important when talking about sexual health because there are a lot of people out there that are ignorant about HIV/AIDS and are having unprotected sex and are then spreading the disease on to other people. If larger systems of oppression were informed, it's possible that we could decrease the rate of contracting and spreading of the disease. As a result, more people would be careful and there would be less people dying of AIDS.
McIntosh also goes on to talk about how ignorant we are as white people. She states that most "students" don't even realize that racism even affects their race because it only affects those of color. I think that many of us are blinded by this fact. I think that there is racism towards whites as well as other races. We just don't talk about it as much or notice it because we have had such a history with racism in blacks and Native Americans.
One thing that I noticed that Peggy McIntosh didn't discuss is that other races have privileges that whites do not. For instance, Native Americans are given a certain amount of money just for being Native American. Some blacks are chosen to go to certain Universities or to receive certain scholarships just because they are black. McIntosh failed to mention this fact. Other races are privileged for some reason or another. Total equality is going to be very hard to achieve because it is hard to make everyone happy. There will always be someone who feels underprivileged or left out.
I think that privilege can affect the spread and treatment of HIV/AIDS by singling certain races or sexes out and accusing them of being more prone to STDs when this is not always true. For instance, I think that by saying that only poor people contract HIV that upper classes will think they are amune and will unknowingly contract and spread the disease.
I do think that addressing larger systems of oppression is important when talking about sexual health because there are a lot of people out there that are ignorant about HIV/AIDS and are having unprotected sex and are then spreading the disease on to other people. If larger systems of oppression were informed, it's possible that we could decrease the rate of contracting and spreading of the disease. As a result, more people would be careful and there would be less people dying of AIDS.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
HIV/AIDS
I actually don't know that much about HIV/AIDS. All I know is that it can be transferred by sexual intercourse or by the transfer of blood from one who is infected. I also know that HIV turns into AIDS, that there is no cure, and once a person develops AIDS, it's only a matter of time until they will die.
I have heard that there is a lot of HIV/AIDS in Africa and poorer countries. I have heard most of this information from others my age, the news, and videos. I have watched a couple of movies that have talked about people who have had HIV/AIDS. The video we watched earlier this week about HIV/AIDS in Namibia really showed how prevalent it is in poor countries, and how little access many of those who are infected have to treatments and medication.
Thinking about HIV globally, I hope to learn more about why this disease is so prevalent in such poor countries and how we can prevent this disease from getting worse. Many people are dying, and it would be grate if we could at least decrease the rate at which this is happening.
One thing that has been surprising about watching the video this week is that there are many of the people in Namibia that don't even think that HIV exists. They think that it is a lie, and they do nothing about getting treatment, and then they are spreading the disease on to others. It would be grate if we could educate these people more and try to convince them that this is a real disease and that it does exist in there country. If we could convince these people then maybe they would be more careful about not spreading the disease.
I have heard that there is a lot of HIV/AIDS in Africa and poorer countries. I have heard most of this information from others my age, the news, and videos. I have watched a couple of movies that have talked about people who have had HIV/AIDS. The video we watched earlier this week about HIV/AIDS in Namibia really showed how prevalent it is in poor countries, and how little access many of those who are infected have to treatments and medication.
Thinking about HIV globally, I hope to learn more about why this disease is so prevalent in such poor countries and how we can prevent this disease from getting worse. Many people are dying, and it would be grate if we could at least decrease the rate at which this is happening.
One thing that has been surprising about watching the video this week is that there are many of the people in Namibia that don't even think that HIV exists. They think that it is a lie, and they do nothing about getting treatment, and then they are spreading the disease on to others. It would be grate if we could educate these people more and try to convince them that this is a real disease and that it does exist in there country. If we could convince these people then maybe they would be more careful about not spreading the disease.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Racism
How does racism affect the spread of STIs? Racism may not be as much of an issue in the U.S. as in other countries, but in poorer countries like Africa it can be an issue. Here in America in general, most people are offered equal opportunities regardless of one's race. When it comes to treatment of disease, if we were to ignore cost, most people would have the same opportunity to receive that treatment. However, in poor countries, such as Africa, not everyone has equal opportunity. Not everyone there is allowed access to treatments. Some people may not be allowed treatments just because of what race they are. If they aren't allowed access to those treatments, then the spread of disease is going to increase.
I think that living in the U.S., we take advantage of the fact that we do have access to such things as proper health care and we don't realize that other countries don't have such access. I think that also, in living in the U.S., when you hear of someone getting an STI, you automatically think they are going to get treatment right away. But in poorer countries many of the people there might not think that way. Because treatment and proper health care isn't as accessible there, it would be normal to think that they were just going to die without getting treatment. To them that would be the norm.
It's also different in the U.S. because people may not be getting these disease for the same reasons. They may all be mostly transferred by sexual intercourse, but here we have more access to contraceptives, and we also have other activities that people are doing besides having sex. In poorer countries, they do not have as much assess to contraceptives, and they don't have much else to do but have sex. This makes it more possible to spread diseases and STIs, therefore increases the spread of disease.
I think that living in the U.S., we take advantage of the fact that we do have access to such things as proper health care and we don't realize that other countries don't have such access. I think that also, in living in the U.S., when you hear of someone getting an STI, you automatically think they are going to get treatment right away. But in poorer countries many of the people there might not think that way. Because treatment and proper health care isn't as accessible there, it would be normal to think that they were just going to die without getting treatment. To them that would be the norm.
It's also different in the U.S. because people may not be getting these disease for the same reasons. They may all be mostly transferred by sexual intercourse, but here we have more access to contraceptives, and we also have other activities that people are doing besides having sex. In poorer countries, they do not have as much assess to contraceptives, and they don't have much else to do but have sex. This makes it more possible to spread diseases and STIs, therefore increases the spread of disease.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Chlamydia
In this video it talks about how one gets infected. I really provides a great visual without being to much for someone to watch. It also makes it easier for general public to understand. I don't think that it really uses fear messages, however, it does show how fast the infection can spread, and that in itself is something to be afraid of. It does not give false information, but I do think that it makes the message a little sugar coated by making it somewhat humorous. I think because of its simplicity and its humor that it appeals to a more young adult, teen crowd. I think that it would be more effective if it had actually shown real pictures of people who were infected. I think that the target audience will think of it as funny rather than a serious issue. I think the media could play a role in prevention. I think that they should stop sugar coating things and show us what effects are of having unsafe sex.
You can find this video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpUzSbM4klg&feature=related
You can find this video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpUzSbM4klg&feature=related
Monday, January 26, 2009
Tuskegee Apology
After reading President Clinton's apology for the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, I was very impressed. The Tuskegee study was a horrifying, unethical study that should never have happened. A group of black, syphilis infected men from Alabama were part of study. Researchers wanted to study the effects of the disease among different races to see if there was a difference in the4 severity of the disease. This study was unethical because these men were not told they had syphilis nor were they properly treated for the disease. Instead, it was aloud to progress. In the end, several of the men died, and the researchers found nothing to indicate a difference with the disease among races. Because this study went on for 40 years, President Clinton made an attempt to make it right by apologising to survivors of the study for what had happened.
I thought it was very admirable of President Clinton to make that apology. It was good of him to at least acknowledge that what had happened in the Tuskegee study was wrong. Although he made that apology, it still doesn't make what happened right or change what had happened. No amount of apologies could change that.
I thought it was very admirable of President Clinton to make that apology. It was good of him to at least acknowledge that what had happened in the Tuskegee study was wrong. Although he made that apology, it still doesn't make what happened right or change what had happened. No amount of apologies could change that.
MDR TB
In listening to the podcast on MDR TB, I learned how serious this from f TB is. MDR TB is Multi drug-Resistant Tuberculosis. MDR TB was discovered in Thailand, where an outbreak had occurred. It was discovered by researchers that the outbreak was caused by close proximity between individuals and improper use of antibiotics. When some of those who were infected settled in the U.S., MDR TB was brought with them. As a result 45 cases developed in the U.S. of infected individuals with MDR TB.
The reason MDR TB is such a concern is because not only is it very contagious, but the antibiotics used to treat the disease are very expensive. This makes it very difficult to eradicate the disease. I would be concerned because if it is transferred b close proximity then if could possibly spread very quickly causing a global epidemic. Because of the development of MDR TB, more immigrants will probably be screened for the disease and possibly many others in hopes to insure rapid diagnosis and creating a healthy nation.
The reason MDR TB is such a concern is because not only is it very contagious, but the antibiotics used to treat the disease are very expensive. This makes it very difficult to eradicate the disease. I would be concerned because if it is transferred b close proximity then if could possibly spread very quickly causing a global epidemic. Because of the development of MDR TB, more immigrants will probably be screened for the disease and possibly many others in hopes to insure rapid diagnosis and creating a healthy nation.
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