This past week I have been working on my blog log and paper. For this reason I have been reflecting on the course and my experience. The Infected Men's Panel, M&M Simulation, Thrush Simulation, Silverlake Life Movie and the book What Looks Like Crazy are just to name a few assignments that were very interesting. This has been a very hectic and fulfilling semester. I have learned so much and I am more aware of HIV before I enrolled in this course. I will take everything I learned in this course with me on my journey through life. My major is Health Services Administration and I plan to be apart of programs in order to promote HIV Prevention and I want to get involved in funding issues. The impact of HIV on the community is something that cannot be ignored. I can definitely say that this is one of the few classes I have taken that I have grown in. All of the assignments were important to me and was not just busy work. I can't believe that this is my final blog. The semester went by so fast!
Did You Know?
The HIV Prevention Srategic Plan has been extended through 2010 and its short term milestone is to increase the number of providers who routinely provide screening in health care settings. The HIV Prevention Leadership Summit is coming up in 2010 and I hope that the outcome is postitively seen throughout the community. I like that fact that there is a focus on routine screening. If it takes incentives from the insurance companies for physicians to want to recommend routine screening, then that is what needs to happen. Too many people are becoming infected at a fast rate and people are acting as if they do not care. This prevention method will ensure that people know their status and this will decrease the chances of them transmitting it to others. The HIV Prevention Leadership Summit will be a great way to spread awareness and encourage people to protect themselves and to go get tested.
Web: CDC. 2009. Retrieved on November 24, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/reports/psp/goal_objective.htm
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
More Prevention....
The QOTW was connected to my blog topic in a way because it focused on finding methods to educate individuals on HIV disease. This is pretty much what prevention is all about. If the current methods are not working, then we cannot continue to do the same thing with no results.
This past week I have been working on my blog log. I'm glad the due date was pushed back though so that I can give myself more time to get everything completed. Now that the holidays are coming up and I just finished the simulation I have been thinking about what it would be like on Thansgiving and Christmas. If I have not told the whole family about my status it would be extremely uncomfortable to take all nineteen pills without making it obivous. I am definitely glad that I left work early and attended the Men's Infected Panel today. I wish I was able to go to the Women's Infected Panel, because Teach said that both panels are different. Since I am a female I would have liked to be able to hear it from a female's point of view as well. I have a completely different outlook on the disease after listening to the panel. They were all full of life and inspire me to be a better person. I admire their strength and their ability to be proactive about their diagnosis.
Did You Know?
There is a project for community based organizations that uses social network strategies. This is an effort to reach persons who are at high risk for HIV infection. The Center for Multicultural Wellness and Prevention in Orlando is apart of the social network strategies. This program focuses on at risk Black and Hispanic young adults starting at the age of 18 in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. They enlist HIV positive individuals as recruiters. This person can counsel and provide education to those who test positive or negative. It is refreshing to know that Florida has this type of program, because we are number one in the nation for heterosexual transmission and the general rate of transmission in Orlando is increasing drastically. These types of programs are important in order to educate young adults. A person who has had to live with the disease is a great source of knowledge. I have never met a person who is HIV positive that openly shares it until I took this course. This class has provided me with a great deal of knowledge, but this type of knowledge should be taking place before senior year in college. The challenge that awaits us!
Web: CDC. 2009. Retrieved November 17, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/prev_prog/AHP/resources/factsheets/SNDP.htm
This past week I have been working on my blog log. I'm glad the due date was pushed back though so that I can give myself more time to get everything completed. Now that the holidays are coming up and I just finished the simulation I have been thinking about what it would be like on Thansgiving and Christmas. If I have not told the whole family about my status it would be extremely uncomfortable to take all nineteen pills without making it obivous. I am definitely glad that I left work early and attended the Men's Infected Panel today. I wish I was able to go to the Women's Infected Panel, because Teach said that both panels are different. Since I am a female I would have liked to be able to hear it from a female's point of view as well. I have a completely different outlook on the disease after listening to the panel. They were all full of life and inspire me to be a better person. I admire their strength and their ability to be proactive about their diagnosis.
Did You Know?
There is a project for community based organizations that uses social network strategies. This is an effort to reach persons who are at high risk for HIV infection. The Center for Multicultural Wellness and Prevention in Orlando is apart of the social network strategies. This program focuses on at risk Black and Hispanic young adults starting at the age of 18 in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. They enlist HIV positive individuals as recruiters. This person can counsel and provide education to those who test positive or negative. It is refreshing to know that Florida has this type of program, because we are number one in the nation for heterosexual transmission and the general rate of transmission in Orlando is increasing drastically. These types of programs are important in order to educate young adults. A person who has had to live with the disease is a great source of knowledge. I have never met a person who is HIV positive that openly shares it until I took this course. This class has provided me with a great deal of knowledge, but this type of knowledge should be taking place before senior year in college. The challenge that awaits us!
Web: CDC. 2009. Retrieved November 17, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/prev_prog/AHP/resources/factsheets/SNDP.htm
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Prevention continued
I am so happy that the M&M Simulation is over!!!! I understand that HIV is no longer a death sentence, but I already know that I would have an extremely hard time accepting and dealing with the disease if I was HIV positive. I would have to get used to the routine of making pills apart of my day to day routine. It takes a lot of discipline, because I was messing up on my pill routine on the first day. The emotional aspect of it is also very challenging. When I told a few people I was pretending to be HIV positive for a class, their reaction was kind of rude. I can only imagine their reaction if I was really HIV positive. I would never want to share my status with certain people for this reason. The QOTW makes me think about what the world will be like 50 years from now. So many people predict that everyone will have chips planted inside of them in order for the government to track them. I do not want any type of device inserted into my body. I do not think that HIV positive individuals should be tracked due to their status. I do not think that this will decrease the number of HIV cases. The course is coming to an end, but I will definitely take the information I learned with me throughout life.
Did You Know?
Less than 40% of young people globally have correct basic knowledge on HIV. Only a third of HIV positive pregnant women receive antiretrovirals to prevent HIV transmission to their babies. Only a minority of the most at risk groups have access to HIV prevention programmes(UNAIDS, 2008). Can you see why this is a problem? For this reason new HIV prevention technologies has become the focus for the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS meeting in London. New HIV prevention technologies include vaccines, microbicides and other developing methods that could play a role in the transmission rate (UNAIDS, 2008). This will require global partnership among scientists, private sector, communities and the government (UNAIDS, 2008). I admire the hard work of the organization, but I am not very opptimistic about scientists finding a vaccine for HIV. I support all the research and I really hope that one is found, but I am not as positive about it as the organization is. My reason for this is due to the fact that there has never been a vaccine found for a virus. I look forward to learning much more about HIV from developing research.
Web: UNAIDS. 5 November 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2009 from, http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/FeatureStories/archive/2008/20081105_Focus_new_HIV_prev_tech.asp
Did You Know?
Less than 40% of young people globally have correct basic knowledge on HIV. Only a third of HIV positive pregnant women receive antiretrovirals to prevent HIV transmission to their babies. Only a minority of the most at risk groups have access to HIV prevention programmes(UNAIDS, 2008). Can you see why this is a problem? For this reason new HIV prevention technologies has become the focus for the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS meeting in London. New HIV prevention technologies include vaccines, microbicides and other developing methods that could play a role in the transmission rate (UNAIDS, 2008). This will require global partnership among scientists, private sector, communities and the government (UNAIDS, 2008). I admire the hard work of the organization, but I am not very opptimistic about scientists finding a vaccine for HIV. I support all the research and I really hope that one is found, but I am not as positive about it as the organization is. My reason for this is due to the fact that there has never been a vaccine found for a virus. I look forward to learning much more about HIV from developing research.
Web: UNAIDS. 5 November 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2009 from, http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/FeatureStories/archive/2008/20081105_Focus_new_HIV_prev_tech.asp
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
So much to learn and time is flying!!!
Today is only the third day of the M&M simulation and I am already tired of taking my medication. There's so much to take and so many times a day that I tend to forget if I have already taken certain pills. So I went to Walgreens and purchased the pill divider so that I can keep track of which pills I have taken. Usually I do not have a problem taking huge pills, but now that I have to take them on such a regular basis, I hate it! Not only does an HIV positive person have to deal with having the disease on an emotional level, but there is a procedure that must be strictly followed in order to remain in good health. I also went through Module 8 this week. The M&M simulation makes me anxious to go to the Infected Men Panel. The reason for this is so that I can learn even more about what it is like to live with the disease. Today at my internship I was telling one of the ladies about this course and she graduated from UCF. She told me that she wished they had this course available when she was a student. I feel like this course should be a requirement, because it will make a huge difference in the number of HIV cases.
Did You Know?
The first teen club started in Bostwana in 2005 with 23 teenagers (Plusnews, 2009). Many of the HIV positive teenagers in Bostwana were born with the disease. Being an adolescent is hard enough and having to deal with HIV puts a lot on such a young person. For this reason there is a fun club that is a safe place for HIV positive adolescents to come together without judgment. The members of the club get together for events and support groups. Counseling is provided and the adolescents learn the importance of keeping up with their medication. This program has also had great success in its prevention of mother to child transmission (Plusnews, 2009). Also, this program give adolescents the tools they need in order to disclose their HIV status to future romantic partners. I believe that this program is a great way to prevent transmission among adolescents and young adults. The counseling will give them the strength to make the right decision instead of intentionally passing the disease along. This program also lets adolescents know that they are not alone and it gives them people to talk to who understand their struggle. I am glad that this program has already gone international. This will give adolescents the knowledge they need to make decisions in their future relationships.
Web: http://www.plusnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=86861
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Blog #8
The QOTW just keep getting better and better! QOTW #9 was really good, because I had to think of my child's well being, but also the well being of another child due to my child's actions. Many parents are extremely over protective of their child and would not want HIV in the same sentence as their child's name. This scenario emphasized the need for education. In my response I decided not to reveal my child's HIV status. This week I also went through the myths, transmission and prevention slides. The myths powerpoint presentation stood out the most to me, because I was surprised by some of the information. The other day my friend texted me asking me if I remember the life and death question about Africa that I asked him. He told me that he would defintely not have taken the blood. He texted me to let me know that he wants to live and that he would have taken the blood. My repsonse to him was that was very random I asked you that over a month ago. He told me he had been thinking about it recently. I'm glad that this course is making others think and is opening up their minds about the disease. Others around me are beginning to realize that it is not always black or white, there are always many factors to be considered. On Sunday we start the M&M project and I know it is going to be interesting. I can't wait to see the reaction of the people around me when I tell them why I am taking my "pills". I will see how it goes!
Did You Know?
There are three risk groups for adolescents and young adults aged 13- 25. These risk groups include men who have sex with men, drug users and heterosexual contacts. "AIDS incidence decreased 7% among young MSM (from 1,400 cases to 1,300) and 8% among young IDU (from 600 cases to 550), but increased 137% among young HC (from 380 cases to 900)" (NLM Gateway, 1997). For this reason the number of cases among young female adults has increased 77% (NLM Gateway, 1997). This emphasizes the need for awareness. Many male adolescents are sexing sex with males and the rest of the adolescent population may feel that only these individuals are at great risk. HIV prevention is needed for HIV positive and HIV negative individuals. This will decrease the spread among the youth. They will be less likely to spread the disease if they receive counseling about safer behavior (NLM Gateway, 1997). When I went to take my HIV test the counselor told me that she has had to tell so many teenagers that they are HIV positive. At this point counseling is the only way to ensure that they do not spread the disease. I understand that it is harder for adolescents and young adults to be open about their status and make a difference in their communities. For this reason counseling and prevention is necessary.
Did You Know?
There are three risk groups for adolescents and young adults aged 13- 25. These risk groups include men who have sex with men, drug users and heterosexual contacts. "AIDS incidence decreased 7% among young MSM (from 1,400 cases to 1,300) and 8% among young IDU (from 600 cases to 550), but increased 137% among young HC (from 380 cases to 900)" (NLM Gateway, 1997). For this reason the number of cases among young female adults has increased 77% (NLM Gateway, 1997). This emphasizes the need for awareness. Many male adolescents are sexing sex with males and the rest of the adolescent population may feel that only these individuals are at great risk. HIV prevention is needed for HIV positive and HIV negative individuals. This will decrease the spread among the youth. They will be less likely to spread the disease if they receive counseling about safer behavior (NLM Gateway, 1997). When I went to take my HIV test the counselor told me that she has had to tell so many teenagers that they are HIV positive. At this point counseling is the only way to ensure that they do not spread the disease. I understand that it is harder for adolescents and young adults to be open about their status and make a difference in their communities. For this reason counseling and prevention is necessary.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Blog #7
There was no paper due this week, so it was not as hectic. I reflected back on the previous weeks and spoke with my friends about what I have learned so far. I liked QOTW #8, because it made me have to put myself in a situation in order to help my family. No matter what I would always try to do what's best for my family.
Today I went to the salon and my stylist told me that I need to watch Oprah today. She told me it was about women who became HIV positive from the same man and he did this intentionally. A few ladies and I were in the salon talking and I told her about this course. One lady said that these are grown women on Oprah who should have been more knowledgeable about HIV. I watched it and was disgusted. Five women were on the panel and discussed what life is like after being infected with HIV from a man who did this as revenge. This man was convicted for knowing his HIV status and not disclosing it to his sex partners until after they had sex. He is spending time in jail. It is such a shame how heartless this man was. I cannot understand for the life of me how people can knowingly spread HIV, because they want others to feel the same way they do. Instead they should put their disease to use in a positive way, by making a difference in their community. I admire Jeromy for finding his significant other on a website where they immediately knew each other’s HIV positive status. Now it is not just the guy’s fault, because these women should have been more careful. How soon are people having unprotected sex when they meet someone? If a person is that quick to have sex with you, wouldn’t it make you think that they are doing it with a lot of other people. The more sex partners a person has, the higher their chances of contracting the disease. I have to emphasize prevention, because this is the only way to ensure that the numbers of HIV positive individuals does not continue to drastically increase. I am glad that this course has opened up my eyes.
Did You Know?
Among youths more HIV diagnoses were received by females than by males. On the other hand when it comes to young adults more HIV diagnoses were received by males than females (CDC, 2007). In my opinion I think that this may be due to the fact that a lot of the female youths are having sex with older men and for this reason that are contracting the disease at a higher rate. The National Youth Risk Behavior Survey was developed to monitor health risk behaviors among adolescents and young adults. The CDC has designed an HIV Prevention Strategic Plan Through 2010 which was implemented in order to reach various groups who are HIV positive or at risk. Poverty, discrimination, historical and cultural factors all play a major role in addressing HIV (CDC, 2007). This plan has established more prevention programs and expanded investment in HIV prevention in the United States (CDC, 2007). I believe that this is a perfect way to spread awareness among adolescents and young adults out in the community. The HIV Prevention Strategic Plan emphasis the need for knowledge of your status (CDC, 2007). This educates adolescents and encourages them to go get tested. They can go to a free clinic where they have professional counselors who can answer all of their questions. Having sex without knowing all the facts is having a terrible effect on adolescents and young adults today! Prevention is a must!
Today I went to the salon and my stylist told me that I need to watch Oprah today. She told me it was about women who became HIV positive from the same man and he did this intentionally. A few ladies and I were in the salon talking and I told her about this course. One lady said that these are grown women on Oprah who should have been more knowledgeable about HIV. I watched it and was disgusted. Five women were on the panel and discussed what life is like after being infected with HIV from a man who did this as revenge. This man was convicted for knowing his HIV status and not disclosing it to his sex partners until after they had sex. He is spending time in jail. It is such a shame how heartless this man was. I cannot understand for the life of me how people can knowingly spread HIV, because they want others to feel the same way they do. Instead they should put their disease to use in a positive way, by making a difference in their community. I admire Jeromy for finding his significant other on a website where they immediately knew each other’s HIV positive status. Now it is not just the guy’s fault, because these women should have been more careful. How soon are people having unprotected sex when they meet someone? If a person is that quick to have sex with you, wouldn’t it make you think that they are doing it with a lot of other people. The more sex partners a person has, the higher their chances of contracting the disease. I have to emphasize prevention, because this is the only way to ensure that the numbers of HIV positive individuals does not continue to drastically increase. I am glad that this course has opened up my eyes.
Did You Know?
Among youths more HIV diagnoses were received by females than by males. On the other hand when it comes to young adults more HIV diagnoses were received by males than females (CDC, 2007). In my opinion I think that this may be due to the fact that a lot of the female youths are having sex with older men and for this reason that are contracting the disease at a higher rate. The National Youth Risk Behavior Survey was developed to monitor health risk behaviors among adolescents and young adults. The CDC has designed an HIV Prevention Strategic Plan Through 2010 which was implemented in order to reach various groups who are HIV positive or at risk. Poverty, discrimination, historical and cultural factors all play a major role in addressing HIV (CDC, 2007). This plan has established more prevention programs and expanded investment in HIV prevention in the United States (CDC, 2007). I believe that this is a perfect way to spread awareness among adolescents and young adults out in the community. The HIV Prevention Strategic Plan emphasis the need for knowledge of your status (CDC, 2007). This educates adolescents and encourages them to go get tested. They can go to a free clinic where they have professional counselors who can answer all of their questions. Having sex without knowing all the facts is having a terrible effect on adolescents and young adults today! Prevention is a must!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Blog #6
This week has been another interesting one of course! The QOTW really made me think, because I would never want to make another child feel uncomfortable. At the same time, I do not have any children and I do not know how protective I may be over them. I liked the question, because it could really happen in our everyday life. My HIV testing paper is just about finished and I am glad that I had this experience. I usually get my HIV test done when I go to my gyencologist, but the public health department is much more in depth. The counselor was sincere and extremely knowledgeable. She told me that is so sad how many teenagers that she has had to tell that they are HIV positive. After this experience I finally convinced my brother to go get tested! He ran out of excuses. I have put in a lot more work into this class than I thought I would have to, but I am getting more in return. I have learned a lot, so I really can't complain.
Blog Add-On
I searched and I could not find any Confidentiality Laws on HIV in India. This is interesting to me due to the fact that India has the most HIV cases in the world. A patient's right to privacy is not enforced when they are HIV positive and their spouse is at risk for contracting the disease (Lawyers Collective, 1998). Indian matrimonial laws require that couples be tested for HIV before they get married. If one if found to be HIV positive, then the hospital must disclose this information to the other person. The shocking part was that in cases when a person was tested positive they were not always the first one to find out. At times the family members of the HIV positive individual were notified first. In some cases the individual was not informed for a very long time for fear of mental stress (Deasi, 2002). In my opinion, the only impact this will have is an increase in the number of HIV positive cases. If people are unaware of their status, then of course they will spread it unknowingly! The U.S National Institutes of Health urges India not to waver in the fight against HIV (Lawyers Collective, 1998).
Did You Know?
In 2007 there were 2 million people under the age of 15 living with HIV (Avert, 2009). Not only this, but globally AIDS is the second most common cause of death among those between the ages 20 to 24 (Avert, 2009). These numbers are too high and are extremely scary. This emphasizes the need to stress prevention to adolescents and young adults. Many adolescents feel as if they cannot become infected if they are having sex for the first time. This lack of knowledge demonstrates the need for prevention education. Adolescents are afraid to get tested, because they are uncomfortable with going to a clinic and they do not want their parents to find out. Confidentiality laws are out there for a reason and adolescents should become aware of them. I wanted to focus on prevention for adolescents and young adults, because they are out there having sex and using illict drugs as well. This is s new day and whether we agree with it or not, people are becoming sexually active at a very young age. We cannot stop them, so I believe that the best thing to do is educate them about prevention.
Web: NLM Gateway. Deasi T, Garg D, Sharma R, et al. (2002). Retrieved on October 13, 2009 from, http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/ma?f=102253257.html
Web: Lawyer's Collective. (2009). Retrieved on October 13, 2009 from, http://www.lawyerscollective.org/hiv-aids/activities/legal-services-sc-right-to-marry
Web: Avert. (2009). 9 October 2009. Retrieved October 13, 2009 from http://www.avert.org/aids-information.htm
Blog Add-On
I searched and I could not find any Confidentiality Laws on HIV in India. This is interesting to me due to the fact that India has the most HIV cases in the world. A patient's right to privacy is not enforced when they are HIV positive and their spouse is at risk for contracting the disease (Lawyers Collective, 1998). Indian matrimonial laws require that couples be tested for HIV before they get married. If one if found to be HIV positive, then the hospital must disclose this information to the other person. The shocking part was that in cases when a person was tested positive they were not always the first one to find out. At times the family members of the HIV positive individual were notified first. In some cases the individual was not informed for a very long time for fear of mental stress (Deasi, 2002). In my opinion, the only impact this will have is an increase in the number of HIV positive cases. If people are unaware of their status, then of course they will spread it unknowingly! The U.S National Institutes of Health urges India not to waver in the fight against HIV (Lawyers Collective, 1998).
Did You Know?
In 2007 there were 2 million people under the age of 15 living with HIV (Avert, 2009). Not only this, but globally AIDS is the second most common cause of death among those between the ages 20 to 24 (Avert, 2009). These numbers are too high and are extremely scary. This emphasizes the need to stress prevention to adolescents and young adults. Many adolescents feel as if they cannot become infected if they are having sex for the first time. This lack of knowledge demonstrates the need for prevention education. Adolescents are afraid to get tested, because they are uncomfortable with going to a clinic and they do not want their parents to find out. Confidentiality laws are out there for a reason and adolescents should become aware of them. I wanted to focus on prevention for adolescents and young adults, because they are out there having sex and using illict drugs as well. This is s new day and whether we agree with it or not, people are becoming sexually active at a very young age. We cannot stop them, so I believe that the best thing to do is educate them about prevention.
Web: NLM Gateway. Deasi T, Garg D, Sharma R, et al. (2002). Retrieved on October 13, 2009 from, http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/ma?f=102253257.html
Web: Lawyer's Collective. (2009). Retrieved on October 13, 2009 from, http://www.lawyerscollective.org/hiv-aids/activities/legal-services-sc-right-to-marry
Web: Avert. (2009). 9 October 2009. Retrieved October 13, 2009 from http://www.avert.org/aids-information.htm
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Blog #5
Let's just say that this week I was able to get a true picture of what HIV Disease is like and how people deal with it daily in their lives. I watched the two required movies and then I picked Age of AIDS. All three movies were very good and I learned alot. When I first read the assignment description I thought great four movies! How do they expect us to find the time? Granted I knew about the movies since August. I am glad I watched them though and since they were so interesting it did not feel like time was dragging on forever.
The Questions of the Week have been thought provoking and I like that! I like the fact that they put us into real life situations and force us to make a decision. For QOTW #5 I am against the Wellness Center disclosing students' status regardless of the situation. As college students this QOTW opens up our eyes to alot of the issues and should make us all want to make better decisions. QOTW #6 brought me back to times in my life where I did pull over at the scene of an accident. This is why I know that I can't just say 'oh this could never happen to me.' I am learning so much and growing in this course and I look forward to future questions of the week.
Every week I make sure that I share something I learned with someone. I know that I was unaware of alot of facts about HIV before taking this course. I know that knowledge is power so I am making sure that more people become aware. This way they can share their knowledge with others and they can make more informed choices.
Did You Know?
There is a National HIV Prevention Conference (NHPC) every year. This year the convention was in Atlanta, Georgia. There were more than 2600 attendees who participated in 43 roundtables, 140 sessions and 65 exhibits (NHPC, 2009). Preventive research was a huge part of the conference. It focused on the biological, behavioral and social factors that influence HIV transmissions (NHPC, 2009). Many interventionists and public health counselors attend the conferences. I know that this will ensure that they are able to stay up to date with all the latest research and technology. They will then be able to pass this information along to their patients. The Program Collaboration was also apart of the conference. In my opinion this will be the best way for public health counselors to network and be able to find new avenues for helping people in their communities. I know that this conference has had a tremendous impact on HIV and I hope it continues for years to come. I looked online, but did not find anything about local conferences in Central Florida. I think this would have a positive impact on our community.
Web: National HIV Prevention Conference. August 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2009 from, http://www.2009nhpc.org/
The Questions of the Week have been thought provoking and I like that! I like the fact that they put us into real life situations and force us to make a decision. For QOTW #5 I am against the Wellness Center disclosing students' status regardless of the situation. As college students this QOTW opens up our eyes to alot of the issues and should make us all want to make better decisions. QOTW #6 brought me back to times in my life where I did pull over at the scene of an accident. This is why I know that I can't just say 'oh this could never happen to me.' I am learning so much and growing in this course and I look forward to future questions of the week.
Every week I make sure that I share something I learned with someone. I know that I was unaware of alot of facts about HIV before taking this course. I know that knowledge is power so I am making sure that more people become aware. This way they can share their knowledge with others and they can make more informed choices.
Did You Know?
There is a National HIV Prevention Conference (NHPC) every year. This year the convention was in Atlanta, Georgia. There were more than 2600 attendees who participated in 43 roundtables, 140 sessions and 65 exhibits (NHPC, 2009). Preventive research was a huge part of the conference. It focused on the biological, behavioral and social factors that influence HIV transmissions (NHPC, 2009). Many interventionists and public health counselors attend the conferences. I know that this will ensure that they are able to stay up to date with all the latest research and technology. They will then be able to pass this information along to their patients. The Program Collaboration was also apart of the conference. In my opinion this will be the best way for public health counselors to network and be able to find new avenues for helping people in their communities. I know that this conference has had a tremendous impact on HIV and I hope it continues for years to come. I looked online, but did not find anything about local conferences in Central Florida. I think this would have a positive impact on our community.
Web: National HIV Prevention Conference. August 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2009 from, http://www.2009nhpc.org/
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Blog #4
I am definitely growing in this course and I am glad I made the decision to take it. This past week has been an educational one. I read the book titled What May Look Crazy. I loved the book! Cleage was very blunt and it was actually quite refreshing. I recommend it to all the students in this course! The thing I liked most about this book was the fact that Cleage hit you with the reality of the disease. Nothing is sugar coated in this book.
I finally went to go take my HIV test. I recently went to take my HIV test, but it was at my doctor's office. The nurse took some blood and had me sign a paper. That was the end of that. The experience at the health clinic is totally different. The questions that the counselor asked me were appropriate, but I still felt a little uncomfortable. I am a private person so I do not generally talk about so many private topics to strangers. It was a great learning experience. I never noticed how many people have appointments for HIV tests. I had to wait a week and a half for an appointment. This is a good thing though, because at least people want to know their status.
My friend who I wrote about in last week's blog is learning from this course as well. Every week I inform him about something that I learned in this course. He seems really interested and his views have changed a little bit as well. I also tell him about the Question of the Week so that he can really think about being put in different situations. I am glad that his attitude is changing for the better.
Did You Know?
In my previous blogs I have been focusing on HIV prevention for sexual transmission. This week I am going to focus on prevention for adolescents and young adults for other modes of transmission. Many adolescents and young adults have already and will experiment in drug use. HIV can spread through the sharing of syringes and needles with an infected person (CDC, 2007). Adolescents and young adults are using drugs at a high rate and when they abuse these substances they tend to have unprotected sex (CDC, 2008). The trend of exchanging sex for drugs has also increased the number of HIV positive cases as well.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has many community based organizations in an attempt to decrease the number of HIV cases among adolescents and young adults. Teens Linked to Care and Street Smart are two of the prevention programs that target the youth and spread awareness (CDC, 2008). I believe that these programs will defintely help to educate adolescents and young adults. When I was growing up there was a boy in my neighborhood who decided to experiment with drugs. I bet that back then if you were to tell him he could become HIV positive from his activity he probably would not have believed you. If parents talk to their children about drug use and how it can effect them, they will be able to make an informed decision. Knowledge truly is power!
Web: (CDC). 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/PDF/transmission.pdf
Web: (CDC). 2008. Retrieved September 29, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/Hiv/resources/factsheets/youth.htm
I finally went to go take my HIV test. I recently went to take my HIV test, but it was at my doctor's office. The nurse took some blood and had me sign a paper. That was the end of that. The experience at the health clinic is totally different. The questions that the counselor asked me were appropriate, but I still felt a little uncomfortable. I am a private person so I do not generally talk about so many private topics to strangers. It was a great learning experience. I never noticed how many people have appointments for HIV tests. I had to wait a week and a half for an appointment. This is a good thing though, because at least people want to know their status.
My friend who I wrote about in last week's blog is learning from this course as well. Every week I inform him about something that I learned in this course. He seems really interested and his views have changed a little bit as well. I also tell him about the Question of the Week so that he can really think about being put in different situations. I am glad that his attitude is changing for the better.
Did You Know?
In my previous blogs I have been focusing on HIV prevention for sexual transmission. This week I am going to focus on prevention for adolescents and young adults for other modes of transmission. Many adolescents and young adults have already and will experiment in drug use. HIV can spread through the sharing of syringes and needles with an infected person (CDC, 2007). Adolescents and young adults are using drugs at a high rate and when they abuse these substances they tend to have unprotected sex (CDC, 2008). The trend of exchanging sex for drugs has also increased the number of HIV positive cases as well.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has many community based organizations in an attempt to decrease the number of HIV cases among adolescents and young adults. Teens Linked to Care and Street Smart are two of the prevention programs that target the youth and spread awareness (CDC, 2008). I believe that these programs will defintely help to educate adolescents and young adults. When I was growing up there was a boy in my neighborhood who decided to experiment with drugs. I bet that back then if you were to tell him he could become HIV positive from his activity he probably would not have believed you. If parents talk to their children about drug use and how it can effect them, they will be able to make an informed decision. Knowledge truly is power!
Web: (CDC). 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/PDF/transmission.pdf
Web: (CDC). 2008. Retrieved September 29, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/Hiv/resources/factsheets/youth.htm
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Blog #3
This week there are alot of thoughts going through my head after QOTW #4. I have one friend who is really uneducated about HIV and does not seem to care about learning about it. Every week when I learn something new in this class I share it with him, because he is sexually active and I want him to become aware. This is a class that truly has an impact on my life and will continue to after the semester is over. I am interning at Orlando Health and being in a hospital setting you are around alot more diseases. I am fine with this and I know how to protect myself. I do not mind being around HIV patients, because I am a more educated individual. These individuals can have a positive impact on my life. It helps me to appreciate life more and to not worry about little stuff, because life is not promised. We do not know what is going to happen tomorrow so might as well enjoy life while we are here! This class has truly opened my eyes about how much the lives of everyone is affected when one person has HIV Disease. I was speaking with a gentleman at the hospital recently and I told him about this course and the Africa example. He told me that if it was up to him alone he would not take the blood, because it might just be his time to go. Since he is married with kids, he said that the decision would be up to his wife. The reason for this is due to the fact that if he takes the blood transfusion and does become HIV positive he would still be interacting with his kids and wife. He said that if one of them were to become infected because of him he does not know how he would be able to live with himself. In my opinion this shows how the lives of so many people can be changed when one person contracts the disease.
I met a guy who I really like and this class defintely has an impact on how I view our relationship and the decisions I make. He understands that I do not want to rush into anything and I told him about this course and the way it has changed some of my views. When I was reading Jeromy's blog I found it interesting that his HIV diagnosis made him take control of his life. This makes me realize that I should not let anything or anyone get in the way of my purpose and drive in life. I respect Jeromy's strength and he inspires me.
Did You Know?
It is estimated that more than 350,000 HIV infections have been averted due to prevention efforts. More than $125 billion in medical costs have been averted due to prevention efforts. The CDC has estimated that more than 56,000 people in America become infected each year. About 1 in 5 people in the U.S. are infected with HIV and are unaware that they have the disease. This emphasizes the need for prevention. The more people who get tested the less people will unknowingly spread the disease. The cumulative number of cases through 2007 for adolescents and young adults between the age 15 and 25 is estimated to be 100,000. Prevention will have an impact on these numbers. I believe that there should be HIV prevention in high school health classes. This will educate the young folks, because not all parents are well educated on the topic. When I was in grade school I remember the teachers splitting up the girls and boys and having the sex talk with us. The sex talk is important, but so is the STD talk. Adolescents and young adults need to be given all the facts so that they can make good decisions. High school classrooms is a great place to spread the education about HIV, because there has been a standstill to the education on this. The only impact this can have is a negative one. Prevention is essential in keeping the number of cases down.
Web: (2009) Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved Septmeber 22, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/print/basic.htm#aidsage
Web: (2009) Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved September 22, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/HIV/resources/reports/hiv_prev_us.htm
I met a guy who I really like and this class defintely has an impact on how I view our relationship and the decisions I make. He understands that I do not want to rush into anything and I told him about this course and the way it has changed some of my views. When I was reading Jeromy's blog I found it interesting that his HIV diagnosis made him take control of his life. This makes me realize that I should not let anything or anyone get in the way of my purpose and drive in life. I respect Jeromy's strength and he inspires me.
Did You Know?
It is estimated that more than 350,000 HIV infections have been averted due to prevention efforts. More than $125 billion in medical costs have been averted due to prevention efforts. The CDC has estimated that more than 56,000 people in America become infected each year. About 1 in 5 people in the U.S. are infected with HIV and are unaware that they have the disease. This emphasizes the need for prevention. The more people who get tested the less people will unknowingly spread the disease. The cumulative number of cases through 2007 for adolescents and young adults between the age 15 and 25 is estimated to be 100,000. Prevention will have an impact on these numbers. I believe that there should be HIV prevention in high school health classes. This will educate the young folks, because not all parents are well educated on the topic. When I was in grade school I remember the teachers splitting up the girls and boys and having the sex talk with us. The sex talk is important, but so is the STD talk. Adolescents and young adults need to be given all the facts so that they can make good decisions. High school classrooms is a great place to spread the education about HIV, because there has been a standstill to the education on this. The only impact this can have is a negative one. Prevention is essential in keeping the number of cases down.
Web: (2009) Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved Septmeber 22, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/print/basic.htm#aidsage
Web: (2009) Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved September 22, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/HIV/resources/reports/hiv_prev_us.htm
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Prevention continued..
The organization I decided to write about this week is ACON which is located in Australia. Community health and well being is the focus of this organization. The most common service that is provided by ACON is education sessions. Campaigns are always taking place in an effort to spread knowledge throughout the community. This is beneficial, because it improves the health of HIV positive individuals as well as informing HIV negative individuals of the risk and precautions that should be taken. There is counseling in different forms available. There is a one on one session weekly, group therapy and a referral service for those needing specialist cares (ACON, 2008). There is a Positive Living Centre located in Sydney and I believe that the work done here has a wonderful impact on HIV positive individuals in Australia. This reason for this is due to the fact that this facility provides social events and skill building programs (ACON, 2008). People who are HIV positive do not have to deal with it alone. ACON also sells supplemental vitamins at a discount rate and gives out safe-sex packs (ACON, 2008). ACON is truly making a difference in the lives of Australians.
Did you know?
This week I will continue my discussion on prevention. I will be focusing on adolescents and young adults. The estimated number of children diagnosed with HIV and AIDS under the age of 15 is about twenty eight (Avert, 2009). The age group 15-25 has the least amount of HIV diagnoses and deaths in 2007.
Did you know that in 2007 about 37,000 children under the age of 15 became infected with HIV through mother to child transmission (Avert, 2009)?
The best way to prevent this is for the mother to take antiretroviral drugs. HIV positive mothers should also refrain from breastfeeding. If HIV positive mothers do not use any type of treatment around 15- 30% of their babies will become infected with HIV during the pregnancy or during labor.
In my opinion, this truly emphasizes the need for prevention for individuals who are HIV negative as well as those individuals who are HIV positive. HIV negative individuals should be taking preventive measures to ensure that they do not become infected. HIV positive individuals should be taking the necessary precautions to ensure that they do not share the disease with others. No matter who you are or what you do HIV is a reality and we should all be doing what we can to stay healthy and to make a difference!
Web. (2008). ACON. Retrieved September 15, 2009, from
http://www.acon.org.au/services
Web. (2009). Avert. Retrieved Septmeber 15, 2009, from
http://www.avert.org/usa-race-age.htm
Did you know?
This week I will continue my discussion on prevention. I will be focusing on adolescents and young adults. The estimated number of children diagnosed with HIV and AIDS under the age of 15 is about twenty eight (Avert, 2009). The age group 15-25 has the least amount of HIV diagnoses and deaths in 2007.
Did you know that in 2007 about 37,000 children under the age of 15 became infected with HIV through mother to child transmission (Avert, 2009)?
The best way to prevent this is for the mother to take antiretroviral drugs. HIV positive mothers should also refrain from breastfeeding. If HIV positive mothers do not use any type of treatment around 15- 30% of their babies will become infected with HIV during the pregnancy or during labor.
In my opinion, this truly emphasizes the need for prevention for individuals who are HIV negative as well as those individuals who are HIV positive. HIV negative individuals should be taking preventive measures to ensure that they do not become infected. HIV positive individuals should be taking the necessary precautions to ensure that they do not share the disease with others. No matter who you are or what you do HIV is a reality and we should all be doing what we can to stay healthy and to make a difference!
Web. (2008). ACON. Retrieved September 15, 2009, from
http://www.acon.org.au/services
Web. (2009). Avert. Retrieved Septmeber 15, 2009, from
http://www.avert.org/usa-race-age.htm
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Blog #1
Hello Everyone,
This is my first time blogging, but I am looking forward to the experience. For my first blog I decided to talk about prevention. Prevention is extremely important to me because this is the best way to decrease the spread of the disease. I am not as knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS as I would like to be. I am certain that I will be a changed person after this course. I am 21 years old and I have alot of friends who do not practice safe sex. If more people were aware of their risk of contracting the disease I am certain that they would become more active in their own health. The statistics are extremely startling and this should be a wake up call. Prevention consists of safe sex and getting tested. I am still trying to convince many people I know to go and get tested. I become frustrated when they give me the excuse that their partner was tested so they do not need to. Spreading the knowledge about HIV is the best way to increase preventive care.
This is my first time blogging, but I am looking forward to the experience. For my first blog I decided to talk about prevention. Prevention is extremely important to me because this is the best way to decrease the spread of the disease. I am not as knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS as I would like to be. I am certain that I will be a changed person after this course. I am 21 years old and I have alot of friends who do not practice safe sex. If more people were aware of their risk of contracting the disease I am certain that they would become more active in their own health. The statistics are extremely startling and this should be a wake up call. Prevention consists of safe sex and getting tested. I am still trying to convince many people I know to go and get tested. I become frustrated when they give me the excuse that their partner was tested so they do not need to. Spreading the knowledge about HIV is the best way to increase preventive care.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)