This class covered much more material than I ever expected. I learned what I thought I would and a lot more about HIV/AIDS than I knew there was to know. The best part of the class was learning about all of the STIs; I'm a science-type person so I like that aspect. I also really liked these blogs, it's something I've never done, and while I was skeptical at first, I ended up enjoying it a lot. This class was the only class I attended over 90% this term, and that is saying something.
To me, every piece of information we learned was useful except for the stuff on ethics/studies; that's not to say it is not important to know in regards to the class, but it's just not useful to me at all. The only reason I like the anthology project is because it's a good excuse not to learn anything during dead week, and I'm all for that. Otherwise it's a lot of busy-work that becomes a headache amongst a miriad of midterms, other projects, and homework.
The things I would change about the class would be having note outlines available earlier. Also, I hate how there are blanks on the slides. I know it's supposed to be incentive to come to class and fill them in, but it kind of feels silly filling in one word or number per slide and it gets me wondering why they just can't be complete and a resource we can access at anytime.
The only other thing that got me was the last quiz on HIV/AIDS. The material we covered for the quiz was the most dense; knowing there was only about 20 questions but a ton of material, I felt like we needed a spotlight on important areas we needed to know - I think the average was the lowest of the three for a reason.
This class is very important and should definitely be taught at university level. This was my favorite class of the term because it applied to so many real life situations and issues. STIs are a serious issue, and HIV is one of the most seroius health issues on the planet by far. This class helped open my eyes to social stigmas associated with STIs and HIV that I never knew existed. Knowledge is power, and the information offered in this class can be very powerful in today's society.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Blog 8 - Life With HIV/AIDS
Learning about HIV, we picture a nasty polygon and the deadly symptoms it is associated with. Listening to Bob however gave me a new perspective on the disease because it was the first time I was able to put an actual face, in person, to this epidemic. It's a life changing event to be diagnosed with HIV; while this is obvious it truly has a different ring when someone who has actually gone through the ordeal says it in person.
I learned a lot about political/economic aspects of the disease; it's costs, why it costs so much, etc. Bob made a point to say we should take care of our own before taking care of other countries. I can see the point to that, but in this particular situation, I thought that it was a selfish remark. Maybe it is easy for me to say it is selfish because I'm not the one shelling out tens of thousands of dollars for medication, I don't know. However, in this country, with the education and the knowledge of HIV/AIDS and the availability of testing, there is a point where people have to become responsible for their health, something that is lacking in America's society in general (obesity ring a bell?). We live like royalty compared to most people in Africa, and think it's the right thing to do to give them a helping hand before entire populations are wiped out. Anyways... something else that was shocking to hear was taking 20+ pills... a day. I'm glad to hear that they are able to narrow the amount down.
Bob's experience is similar to other people's around the globe in that he is labeled a person with HIV, and people fear that. It is probably similar to someone who would live in any relatively well off country, except those with universal health care systems. It's very different from poorer countries, in that he has access to treatment and has even made a career out of his contracting HIV.
In rural areas, the only way to transmit HIV is heterosexual intercourse, typically between a married couple. It is difficult to get married couples to use condoms, and also these people in rural areas don't have the same access to healthcare/treatments/education about HIV/AIDS.
I learned a lot about political/economic aspects of the disease; it's costs, why it costs so much, etc. Bob made a point to say we should take care of our own before taking care of other countries. I can see the point to that, but in this particular situation, I thought that it was a selfish remark. Maybe it is easy for me to say it is selfish because I'm not the one shelling out tens of thousands of dollars for medication, I don't know. However, in this country, with the education and the knowledge of HIV/AIDS and the availability of testing, there is a point where people have to become responsible for their health, something that is lacking in America's society in general (obesity ring a bell?). We live like royalty compared to most people in Africa, and think it's the right thing to do to give them a helping hand before entire populations are wiped out. Anyways... something else that was shocking to hear was taking 20+ pills... a day. I'm glad to hear that they are able to narrow the amount down.
Bob's experience is similar to other people's around the globe in that he is labeled a person with HIV, and people fear that. It is probably similar to someone who would live in any relatively well off country, except those with universal health care systems. It's very different from poorer countries, in that he has access to treatment and has even made a career out of his contracting HIV.
In rural areas, the only way to transmit HIV is heterosexual intercourse, typically between a married couple. It is difficult to get married couples to use condoms, and also these people in rural areas don't have the same access to healthcare/treatments/education about HIV/AIDS.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Blog 7 - HIV Theories...
The Hunter Theory and the Colonialism Theory are the most plausible, and they go hand in hand. The biggest piece of evidence for me is that other simian viruses have been shown to jump between species; HIV could easily have been one of those viruses. The Colonialism Theory elaborates on the Hunter Theory, giving a backdrop to how the disease was introduced to certain populations.
The OPV Theory sounds a little far-fetched for me, as does the Conspiracy Theory. There is little evidence for either, and there is no way to manufacture such a complex and deadly virus. I will never say never though... right when I think the corruption in the world has gotten to its worst point, it continues to blow my expectations away... (That is to say I'm not going to run around claiming these theories are true, I'm just keeping an open mind).
The Contaminated Needle Theory also goes along with the Hunter and Colonialism Theories, giving more reason as to how the virus could have been spread. To me, these three theories sum up how HIV came into existence and how it was most likely spread. There is a synergy between them and they offer realistic explanations backed by evidence. SIV crossed to humans through some sort of consumption of simians and was propagated by the consequences of colonialism and slavery as well as needle contamination.
I think it's important to understand how HIV was transmitted to humans, as it may offer evidence or insight on possible treatments/cures to the disease. We can also learn how to prevent other crazy diseases from crossing species and becoming worldwide health concerns.
The OPV Theory sounds a little far-fetched for me, as does the Conspiracy Theory. There is little evidence for either, and there is no way to manufacture such a complex and deadly virus. I will never say never though... right when I think the corruption in the world has gotten to its worst point, it continues to blow my expectations away... (That is to say I'm not going to run around claiming these theories are true, I'm just keeping an open mind).
The Contaminated Needle Theory also goes along with the Hunter and Colonialism Theories, giving more reason as to how the virus could have been spread. To me, these three theories sum up how HIV came into existence and how it was most likely spread. There is a synergy between them and they offer realistic explanations backed by evidence. SIV crossed to humans through some sort of consumption of simians and was propagated by the consequences of colonialism and slavery as well as needle contamination.
I think it's important to understand how HIV was transmitted to humans, as it may offer evidence or insight on possible treatments/cures to the disease. We can also learn how to prevent other crazy diseases from crossing species and becoming worldwide health concerns.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Blog 6 - White Priviledge
This article talked about how there are unseen advantages given to particular groups, such as men, and whites. If you're part of the advantaged system, it may be extremely hard to see the advantages you carry from day to day.
I agree with certain groups being more advantaged than others. To me, it's a matter of who has the power, and who has had the power in the past: white males. Over much time this will probably change, but until then we can always expect forms of discrimination/prejudice large or small. It's an unavoidable part of human nature in the system we live in and the history we are taught. If I think about the general history of the US, it only really serves to set the backdrop of whites establishing and holding the power in this country. Other than that, I see no value in it and think it's useless (I'm not a big fan of history). I often think about what if everyone just woke up one day and forgot the entire history of this country - would we be better off? Everyone would be on a fresh slate and we wouldn't be able to discriminate based on what events hurt, helped, or shaped their race. We'd all be the same.
When a certain gender or race is at a disadvantage, this can very much so affect the spread and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Certain groups might not have the same opportunities for education or the same access to medication. Addressing these larger systems of oppression is essential for talking about sexual health because you can't say the same thing if men and women are on drastically different levels of power or one race gets preferential treatment over another. While in certain places equality is a long shot, improving sexual health requires manipulation of very unique systems.
I agree with certain groups being more advantaged than others. To me, it's a matter of who has the power, and who has had the power in the past: white males. Over much time this will probably change, but until then we can always expect forms of discrimination/prejudice large or small. It's an unavoidable part of human nature in the system we live in and the history we are taught. If I think about the general history of the US, it only really serves to set the backdrop of whites establishing and holding the power in this country. Other than that, I see no value in it and think it's useless (I'm not a big fan of history). I often think about what if everyone just woke up one day and forgot the entire history of this country - would we be better off? Everyone would be on a fresh slate and we wouldn't be able to discriminate based on what events hurt, helped, or shaped their race. We'd all be the same.
When a certain gender or race is at a disadvantage, this can very much so affect the spread and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Certain groups might not have the same opportunities for education or the same access to medication. Addressing these larger systems of oppression is essential for talking about sexual health because you can't say the same thing if men and women are on drastically different levels of power or one race gets preferential treatment over another. While in certain places equality is a long shot, improving sexual health requires manipulation of very unique systems.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Blog 5 - HIV/AIDS
I've learned about HIV/AIDS before, but it was many years ago. HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus, and as far as I know it works by crippling the body's immune system. Specifically, I'm not too sure what it attacks... B cells? T cells? Other lymphocytes? Once the body's white blood cell count reaches a certain level, it is then called AIDS which is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is at this point that opportunistic infections can run rampant in the body and something as small as influenza can kill because there is no defense to deflect it anymore. This is what makes the virus so deadly... there is no cure, and while HIV/AIDS won't "directly" kill you, it opens the door for countless pathogens to do their work on the body.
The virus is transmitted via mucous membrane - mucous membrane contact, although you can't get HIV from kissing an infected person (I don't think...). The virus is also spread by sharing intravenous needles. I think the virus is quite fragile outside of a host unlike the herpes virus, which can survive for some time.
All of this information came from a high school health class. Globally, I want to know if any progress has been made in finding a vaccine for the disease. What I found surprising was in places like Namibia, the average life expectancy has decreased in the last couple decades. I mean, I thought I was aware of how bad the situation in Africa is, but that video blew me away - it's so much worse than I ever imagined and the situation looks almost hopeless without a vaccine. One of the doctors in the video made a good point; you cannot tackle HIV/AIDS without tackling poverty first. However, I don't think it's possible to bring the entire country out of poverty before the virus has done its dirty work on the strongest members of society; forever crippling its infrastructure. I fear we might see the collapse of some of these small, struggling nations if they don't receive a helping hand from some northern hemisphere countries.
The virus is transmitted via mucous membrane - mucous membrane contact, although you can't get HIV from kissing an infected person (I don't think...). The virus is also spread by sharing intravenous needles. I think the virus is quite fragile outside of a host unlike the herpes virus, which can survive for some time.
All of this information came from a high school health class. Globally, I want to know if any progress has been made in finding a vaccine for the disease. What I found surprising was in places like Namibia, the average life expectancy has decreased in the last couple decades. I mean, I thought I was aware of how bad the situation in Africa is, but that video blew me away - it's so much worse than I ever imagined and the situation looks almost hopeless without a vaccine. One of the doctors in the video made a good point; you cannot tackle HIV/AIDS without tackling poverty first. However, I don't think it's possible to bring the entire country out of poverty before the virus has done its dirty work on the strongest members of society; forever crippling its infrastructure. I fear we might see the collapse of some of these small, struggling nations if they don't receive a helping hand from some northern hemisphere countries.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Topic 4 Response - Syphilis in Africa
I remember in class on Monday we saw some statistics on the prevalence of syphilis in African countries as well as others. It was a staggering number when compared to most northern hemisphere countries. A disease that is curable still running rampant? That's the first question that popped into my head, but I realized the living conditions and resources of most of these countries is minimal - so minimal that a simple penicillin injection can easily be far fetched. If something like syphilis can infect a great number of the population in many of these African countries, it probably contributes to the large number infected by HIV as well as many other STIs.
Of course here in my padded, fluffy life in the US it's easy to forget about the strife and struggles of countless others around the world. The thought of STIs are of no great concern to me because of the education I have received and the treatments available. For others, they do not know the consequences of many STIs, and soon it becomes life and death because they either have no access to treatment, or cannot afford it.
Of course here in my padded, fluffy life in the US it's easy to forget about the strife and struggles of countless others around the world. The thought of STIs are of no great concern to me because of the education I have received and the treatments available. For others, they do not know the consequences of many STIs, and soon it becomes life and death because they either have no access to treatment, or cannot afford it.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Week 3 Response - Valtrex Commercial
Here is a Valtrex commercial for genital herpes:
The commercial contains mostly actors talking and then a voice giving some information about the drug. A piece of "true" information it gives is that "One study found that up to 70% of people who had genital herpes got it from their partner when they had no signs or symptoms of an outbreak", although I don't see an actual reference. They also claim it is proven to help control outbreaks but in writing on the bottom of the screen it says only in heterosexual couples.
The commercial doesn't quite use fear or false information, although it seems to convey a slight sense of guilt when you hear people talking about trying their best to prevent spreading herpes. There are a wide range of ages this commercial could target. A few of the people in the commercial look like they could be in high school or college, a few look in their mid to late twenties, and a couple look about middle-aged.
Although I don't have herpes I could see why this Valtrex commercial would be effective in reaching its target audience. It seems upbeat and positive, and puts on display many young, good looking, articulate, multi-colored people doing everyday things in everyday environments who "use" Valtrex.
Honestly I think general ads and media are most effective in the prevention of STIs when they use fear as the base component. When I see a pamphlet riddled with pictures of mangled genitalia I'm going to remember that next time I'm deciding whether or not to use protection. In the heat of the moment I'm not going to give one thought to a commercial I saw about some kids talking about STIs. Maybe that's just me.
And I was just talking about this movie with someone...
The commercial contains mostly actors talking and then a voice giving some information about the drug. A piece of "true" information it gives is that "One study found that up to 70% of people who had genital herpes got it from their partner when they had no signs or symptoms of an outbreak", although I don't see an actual reference. They also claim it is proven to help control outbreaks but in writing on the bottom of the screen it says only in heterosexual couples.
The commercial doesn't quite use fear or false information, although it seems to convey a slight sense of guilt when you hear people talking about trying their best to prevent spreading herpes. There are a wide range of ages this commercial could target. A few of the people in the commercial look like they could be in high school or college, a few look in their mid to late twenties, and a couple look about middle-aged.
Although I don't have herpes I could see why this Valtrex commercial would be effective in reaching its target audience. It seems upbeat and positive, and puts on display many young, good looking, articulate, multi-colored people doing everyday things in everyday environments who "use" Valtrex.
Honestly I think general ads and media are most effective in the prevention of STIs when they use fear as the base component. When I see a pamphlet riddled with pictures of mangled genitalia I'm going to remember that next time I'm deciding whether or not to use protection. In the heat of the moment I'm not going to give one thought to a commercial I saw about some kids talking about STIs. Maybe that's just me.
And I was just talking about this movie with someone...
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