HIV, unlike all of the other diseases we have looked at so far, is a relatively new disease for humans. Its recent emergence has caused quite a bit of controversy, but a response to help combat the disease is growing. Today, much progress has been made in the fight against HIV, but much work is still to be done to eventually rid the United States, and the World, of HIV.
Several social factors have caused the HIV epidemic as we know it today. One large contributing component was the anti-gay sentiment when this disease was first documented. Its discovery came during a time in US history when there was a new, increased expression of homosexuality. The disease was often linked to men who had sex with men. This created a negative stereotype of the gay population. The disease was attributed solely to that lifestyle (on the contrary, it was/is also found in heterosexual people and infants, as well). This stereotyping led to shame in the gay community. People did not want to be associated with this disease. Because of this, they were hesitant to get tested or report the results of their tests to others for fear of exclusion. This further added to the spread of the HIV epidemic.
In addition, there was an overall lack of knowledge about how HIV spread. Some people believed, and continue to believe, that HIV can be spread through the air, contact, etc. as other diseases are. In reality, HIV is spread through contact with body fluids, most commonly during sex or sharing of IV needles.
The government did not help matters. The Reagan administration was slow to respond to the HIV/AIDS outbreak. They did not officially approach the issue until 1987. They also did not calm the fears of the populace over the spread of HIV/AIDS. In a public address, President Reagan openly admitted that he did not believe the science was certain behind the spread of AIDS. This further contributed to the public’s irrational fear about HIV/AIDS exposure.
There was also a moral component that contributed to the HIV epidemic. People believed that HIV was only spread through immoral sexual acts. They did not realize that people who never had sexual contact could get it, including children and hemophiliacs. This contributed to the stereotype of HIV being a homosexual disease and opened new discrimination against recently infected hemophiliacs or children.
Overall, these factors changed peoples’ lives forever. It caused people to lose jobs and be shunned by friends and family. People were afraid to be around those infected, which hurt business, education, and relationships. The stigma against HIV/AIDS caused people to shy away from testing and reporting. All of these factors contributed to the HIV/AIDS epidemic we still have today.
With that said, however, there have been some factors that have hampered the deadly virus. An increased awareness of HIV/AIDS, as a whole, has done much to educate the public and slow the spread of the disease. Safe sex practices have been taught, which has contributed greatly to prevention. Awareness of the dangers of sharing needles has also become more prevalent. Also, new testing procedures have led to greater detection of the disease, so those infected can get help.
The HIV epidemic has had several impacts on society in the United States. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has led to increased knowledge about the disease. People now mostly understand how it is spread; however some myths still exist. There is also now a greater acceptance for those with HIV/AIDS because people understand that it can infect anyone. The prevalence of the disease has made the public more accepting of those who have it. Unfortunately, the epidemic has fostered myths about HIV/AIDS. It is hard to get rid of this misinformation. Finally, the epidemic has caused top government officials to take a closer look and develop a plan on how to stop it. The Trump administration is looking to end the HIV epidemic in the next 10 years. Only time will tell if this will pay off.
There has been significant progress in fighting the HIV epidemic in the US. Overall, there is increased testing and awareness. The rat of infection has also decreased in the last 20 years, and the transmission rate has decreased by 89%.
Despite these great advances, there are still some challenges associated with the HIV epidemic. Many people do not even know that they are infected. According to the CDC, an estimated 161,000 people do not know that they have HIV. Out of this number, many do not want to get tested or do not know how testing works. Some do not keep up with their medication. Out of those prescribed medication for their HIV, only about 40% take them regularly. In addition, infected people in poverty may not have access to healthcare.
There has also been progress made in prevention and treatment of HIV. In addition to the aforementioned increase awareness of how HIV spreads, there are two relatively new preventative medications. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can be taken by someone who has a good chance of becoming infected. It lowers their risk of infection but must be taken on a regular basis to be effective. In addition, Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) can be taken by someone who has been exposed to an infected person. It consists of antiretroviral medications that must be taken within 72 hours of exposure.
There are several aspects to the current status of HIV in the US. In the realm of prevention, there has been a push for safe sex practices or abstinence. In addition, PrEP and PEP have done a lot to prevent the spread of HIV. To prevent HIV spread through drug use, clean needle clinics are being tested in order to see their effects on the HIV infection among injection drug users. In the realm of detection, HIV is mainly detected today through measuring CD4+ cells. Physicians look for numbers less than 200/mm3 in a blood sample to diagnose HIV. In addition, physicians look for prevalence of opportunistic infections, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma and Pneumocystis pneumonia. ELISA tests have also been used to diagnose HIV. Some tests can even be done at home!
In order to overcome the HIV epidemic, there must be a large commitment from the government and the people. The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health has come up with a general plan as to how the government can play a role in ending the HIV epidemic. According to their plan, areas where HIV/AIDS is prevalent need to be focused on. There needs to be an emphasis on early diagnosis. There needs to be access to early treatment. In addition, PrEP use will become more prevalent. Finally, the plan stresses early detection of new cases. On top of this, the public needs to get on board with ending the HIV epidemic.
HIV is a relatively new disease that we are just starting to understand. With time, money, and scientific research, we can learn a lot more. One day, hopefully soon, a cure will be found, signaling the beginning of the end for HIV.
Help Received: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2015/12/01/a-disturbing-new-glimpse-at-the-reagan-administrations-indifference-to-aids/?utm_term=.4cc921e160ca, https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv-aids/fact-sheets/20/48/the-basics-of-hiv-prevention, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-hivaids-promise-during-state-of-the-union-2019-02-06/, https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/factsheets/challenges-508.pdf, https://www.cdc.gov/winnablebattles/HIV/pdf/hiv_prev_progress.pdf, https://www.cdc.gov/HIV/basics/prep.html, https://www.cdc.gov/HIV/basics/pep.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV/AIDS_in_the_United_States, https://www.ucsfhealth.org/conditions/aids/diagnosis.html, Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for the United States article from classThesaurus.com, Spellcheck, https://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/health/2015/04/24/indiana-hiv-outbreak-hepatitis-c-epidemic-sparks-cdc-alert/_jcr_content/par/featured-media/media-1.img.jpg/0/0/1445088195116.jpg?ve=1 for image 1, https://static2.businessinsider.com/image/594a8850e592ed234a8b5774-1190-625/this-map-shows-the-area-of-the-us-thats-home-to-the-most-people-living-with-hiv.jpg for image 2, direcly copied words from the artifact handout, HIV documentary from class