Blog #5: After reading the many responses to the Question of the Week for week five I began to think how HIV can become very political. What policies can be adopted by national and local governments, schools, and other organizations on HIV positive individuals? I did come across a FL statue that calls for HIV positive individuals to reveal their status to any sexual partners or they could be punished by law (can be incarcerated). Just to see how strongly students reacted with their opinons was aspiring. I hope that that the laws and policies made on this matter are looked at with scrutiny and overall a policy that can be adopted by all, HIV positive or not.
FL Statue can be found here:
http://books.google.com/books?id=YpVlLZ5sRG0C&pg=PA110&lpg=PA110&dq=florida+law+hiv+imprisonment&source=bl&ots=-pmRcBqilO&sig=xr08xPou7iusRQy1_FwPb-WoPVk&hl=en&ei=HL-_SoOGEdHP8QbE5dShAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false
DYK: I found an interesting article from the NY times talking about HIV education reform in a Long Island School. They have noticed that even with the knowledge given to highschool students they continue to put themselves at risk and HIV cases continue to rise. With this reform they aim to help connect students to the severity of activities that lead to HIV.The way this is being emplemented is with the help of the local Red Cross. The Red Cross is training students to become "peer educators" that students will be able to relate to and listen to the message to HIV prevention from a peer. This is a great angle in trying to help educate highschool students. I hope that the Red Cross has extendend this program beyond the areas that are in high risk communities because every high school student could only benefit from hearing this message from a peer.
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/12/nyregion/hiv-infecting-more-in-high-school.html?pagewanted=2
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I love the idea that American Red Cross is stepping up to the plate to help educate high school students. With todays society kids will listen to other kids before they listen to adults. I wonder if I can talk to my local Red Cross chapter to see what they can do for our county. Good post Joe!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your perception that HIV has become very political. I think the virus started out being a subject that most politicans did not want to talk about, but as time has passed and so many voters are now HIV positive, the subject of HIV/AIDS has become more political.
ReplyDeleteYour tidbit on the Red Cross working to use peer educators is great. Teens will listen more to other teens than to adults. I noticed that there is a lot of reference to irresponsible behavior and alcohol. I think more should be done in the schools and colleges to control drinking, especially at college functions.
I agree with you. HIV is becoming more of a political iddue than health issue. I think that we need to start educating students in a different way, and just like you said we do need to introduce them to the severity of the disease.
ReplyDeleteThere was a time when peer education was the norm and many high schools adopted that method of education. Now however, since many think that HIV has been cured or is not the danger it once was, those programs have died out.
ReplyDeleteMy live class use to have a lab associated with it and that part was taught by peer educators. It was one of the best things I ever did. Then the classes became larger and we didn't have the time for labs. That is a shame because they were so informative. The peer educators loved it and the students learned.