http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXcBUROIilw
HIV is something that seems to be kept hush hush, which in my opinion is horrible. Of course there is debate about how open people need to be about subjects like their status or even discussing prevention with children. This issue is worldwide and is extremely prevalent in Africa. While researching issues like these I came across an article on the NY times website. This article mentions that in Kenya there are plans to test over four million people for HIV. Normally testing would be appreciated, but with this issue, advocates fear for the children that are going to be tested. There are about 150,000 children that are infected in Kenya. The advocate groups fear for the children that test positive for the virus. Reason being that the children that do test positive are normally treated horribly. For example they can be physically ill treated or even shunned out of the house. Advocates feel that if the at home testing is going be done, because most people do not want to go to the clinic, then psychologists will need to also stand close when the results are given.
I feel that this is definitely a concern, not just in Kenya, but worldwide. HIV positive patients are looked at differently. There is no way around that fact. Now this does NOT mean that they are always looked at negatively, but in some cases they are. When a person takes that negativity to an extreme, unnecessary level it can get out of control. These issues need to be expressed so that awareness can be all over and HIV positive patients aren't treated with the negativity that they do not deserve.
Week 1 With My HIV Class
This week was most definitely a learning experience. We have been assigned a few simulations. One was a Thrush simulation that I completed a few days ago that opened my eyes wider than I could have imagined. Thrush is an infection of a yeast called Candida in a person's mouth. It creates white, milky patches inside the mouth and on the tongue. The simulation required me to put two cotton balls on either side of my mouth. After that I ate a few crackers and drinking water. With eating the crackers they seemed to blend in with the cotton balls and it wasn't long until I couldn't differentiate between what was cotton or cracker. I went ahead and drank some water to see if it would help but it just furthered the mushy mess that I put in my mouth. It really made it hard to eat and I can only imagine how someone can live with that issue throughout their HIV positive life.
With taking this course I am hoping to increase my understanding with HIV. I want to know more about how HIV infected people feel and what they go through. I am already seeing changes in myself. Mainly I am more conscientious about what I say to people I know and people I don't know. Prevention steps are more obvious to me and the fact that HIV is something that is not going anywhere is becoming more realistic. HIV and AIDS are things that can just be swept under the bed and forgotten about. They need to be discussed and brought to more people's attention. I'm extremely excited about this class guiding and teaching me through this diabolic issue.
References:
Siyclone. (2008, June 20). Kelly Rowland visits Kenya and raises HIV awareness. Video file retreived from: http://www.youtube.come/watch?v=VXcBUROIilw
McNeil, D. 2009, December 28. Group Worries About Rights of Children as Kenya Plans In-Home Tests for HIV. Retreived January 27, 2010. From New York Times website: http://www.newyorktimes.com/2009/12/29/health/research/29glob.html?_r=18$scp=4&sq=hiv&st=cse
