Well this looks like the end of my blogging for this course. I hope all of you that read my post enjoyed what you read. I know that we all have our own opioions and you may not have agreed with what I read. However, I did my best to support the ideas I had thoughout the semester to show how I reached my points of view. With all that being said I did enjoy reading all of your posts this semester. I think the best part was that all of us peers got to engage with each others thoughts.
As this course comes to an end I am very confiedent in my level of knowledge about HIV. I almost thank it is a social battle that is being lost right now, unfortuately. It will take alot of action to raise enough awarness about HIV for polices to change and who knows maybe with Obama as president it can happen. I am not so positive about social change. I do keep a positive attitude about a vaccination or cure coming in the near future. Until then I will do my best to teach what I know about HIV to my love ones. I feel I have an obligation to my friends and family to try and protect them from this virus. Most importantly anyone who is close to me that is sexualy active.
DYK: My did you know this semester was about HIV education in public schools and I found it is more like a lack of. The polices placed in the 1980's with President Reagan are still in effect. This was when alot of hardcore conservitive were in power and thought it to be best that we use the message of abstience in schools. Well with what I have found out this semester is it isnt working. This is shown with 44,084 known cases of new HIV infections in 2007 (Avert 2009). Weather its the system of which education is being facilitated, regualation, or stressing abstience and not condom use its not working. I just hope that we dont worry about the nature of the disease because its transmitted mostly by sexual intercourse. In the US you see sex everywhere so lets not turn a blind eye to this problem and start our teens off in right direction and educate them on HIV and STD's.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Blog #11: Outside the Box HIV Awareness
I have been doing my DYK section this year on HIV Education in schools. This weeks QOTW was right up my alley. I have come across alot of evidence that points to either a lack of HIV education or unadequate HIV eductaion in schools. Some examples why HIV education doesn't work in school is because teachers are untrained themselves about HIV or they simply stress abstience becuase that is their own belief. What ever the breakdown is in our educational system its not working at all. Its tough to just stand by and watch this happen. However, to bring some social change as big as HIV education is hard, especially when there are so many opposers. Most do not feel that the public school system should not teach anything that deals with sex. Well if the schools are not doing it and the parents arent doing it then who is? Well I would come to the conclusion that children are taking it upon themselves. They see what happening on TV and movies and start to experiment at a young age not knowing what type of STD's are out there and how prevealant they are as well.
So I think somehting needs to be done to start education in middle school all the way to high shcool. It doesnts need some type of radical scheme, just some social change. Implement a plan of action that starts children on a cirriculum with content geared toward their age and bulid on it. This may send a message that its ok to talk about sex and condom use. The teachers will also need to be properly certified on instruction on how to teach about HIV to their grade. Kill two birds with one stone, teaching young kids about HIV and thier teachers. Unfortunately the only way to do this is to bring out some drastic social change and I dont see that happening. Especially with all of the religions that are oppose to any contrceptives or premartial sex.
DYK: I took this quote from Avert.org, "I am 15 years old and my best friend who is a male has AIDS and we were really close so one knight we experimented and after the fact we 'did it' he told me he had AIDS."- Monica (Avert 2009). Shocking, this young girl was 15 years old. Young people are going to experiment in our society because it uses sex in TV, movies, magazines, and everday life. If parents are being responsible and teaching their kids then the government needs to. I just cant believe that no action has been taken knowing there is no cure for HIV.
So I think somehting needs to be done to start education in middle school all the way to high shcool. It doesnts need some type of radical scheme, just some social change. Implement a plan of action that starts children on a cirriculum with content geared toward their age and bulid on it. This may send a message that its ok to talk about sex and condom use. The teachers will also need to be properly certified on instruction on how to teach about HIV to their grade. Kill two birds with one stone, teaching young kids about HIV and thier teachers. Unfortunately the only way to do this is to bring out some drastic social change and I dont see that happening. Especially with all of the religions that are oppose to any contrceptives or premartial sex.
DYK: I took this quote from Avert.org, "I am 15 years old and my best friend who is a male has AIDS and we were really close so one knight we experimented and after the fact we 'did it' he told me he had AIDS."- Monica (Avert 2009). Shocking, this young girl was 15 years old. Young people are going to experiment in our society because it uses sex in TV, movies, magazines, and everday life. If parents are being responsible and teaching their kids then the government needs to. I just cant believe that no action has been taken knowing there is no cure for HIV.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Blog #11: M&M Therapy
After taking part of module #8 I can see how duanting it is to be on medications for HIV patients. With the drug scenario I picked I needed to swollow ten pills and a multi-vitamin a day. It was hard enough to keep up with the specific time schedule for taking the medications without having any side effects, I could not imagine if I had to deal with these side effects. Things like diarrhea, stinging sensation in the hands, nausea, and sleeplessness. If these were things I had to deal with while taking the medication I could only imagine how hard daily living could be. I know with what I do on my day to living would have to change. I could imagine how a person who is newly infected has to change their lives with rigorous routine and strict medication schedule. Also, they maybe have to change some of the daily activities they do. Not becuase they have to but becuase it may make them feel more comfortable in doing so. I only did this scenario for a week. Someone who has HIV must take medication for the rest of thier life.
DYK: CDC Prevention Education Plans
The CDC has put out guidelines and education plans for framework to be followed during eductaion. I ask why hasn't this framework been adopted by our public schools? If the CDC advocates that this is the best way for prevention then it should be implemented as requirements and not just sugguestion. If there was a correlation with the CDC and public school education it could only be beneficial. If there was a disease that was not spread mainly through unprocted sex then our public schools would probably not hesitate to push for education for prevention.
After taking part of module #8 I can see how duanting it is to be on medications for HIV patients. With the drug scenario I picked I needed to swollow ten pills and a multi-vitamin a day. It was hard enough to keep up with the specific time schedule for taking the medications without having any side effects, I could not imagine if I had to deal with these side effects. Things like diarrhea, stinging sensation in the hands, nausea, and sleeplessness. If these were things I had to deal with while taking the medication I could only imagine how hard daily living could be. I know with what I do on my day to living would have to change. I could imagine how a person who is newly infected has to change their lives with rigorous routine and strict medication schedule. Also, they maybe have to change some of the daily activities they do. Not becuase they have to but becuase it may make them feel more comfortable in doing so. I only did this scenario for a week. Someone who has HIV must take medication for the rest of thier life.
DYK: CDC Prevention Education Plans
The CDC has put out guidelines and education plans for framework to be followed during eductaion. I ask why hasn't this framework been adopted by our public schools? If the CDC advocates that this is the best way for prevention then it should be implemented as requirements and not just sugguestion. If there was a correlation with the CDC and public school education it could only be beneficial. If there was a disease that was not spread mainly through unprocted sex then our public schools would probably not hesitate to push for education for prevention.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Blog #10: QOTW Thoughts
Blog #10: QOTW Thoughts
First off I would like to thank those who responded to my blog #9 and telling of their experiences. Austin said that he had a hard time explaining to his friends that he had to take the test for a class. Well I can definitly relate to that, I had a hard enough time explaining my HIV test to my girl friend of almost two years.
QOTW #10 strikes up a question of ethics. Everyone has there own personal beleif about testing on animals. I feel one thing may be over looked and that is all of the regualations placed on animal testing. In my blog it talked about the Committee of Animal Research Ethics. This is one of the biggest regulatory committees dealing with the treatment of animals during testing. They have the power to shut down any research they determine is unethical to the treatment of animals. The committee must approve any testing before granting any money, allow any university reserach, and also how many animals are allowed to be used for research. I also read a student post that brought up the US Animal Welfare Act, which is:
The Animal Welfare Act was signed into law in 1966. While its original intent was
to regulate the care and use of animals in the laboratory, it has become the only
Federal law in the United States that regulates the treatment of animals in research,
exhibition, transport, and by dealers. Other laws, policies, and guidelines may include
additional species coverage or specifications for animal care and use, but all refer to the
Animal Welfare Act as the minimum acceptable standard (US Dept. Agriculture 2009).
It is not unnecessary to test any potential HIV medications or vaccinations on chimps because they do not get HIV. By looking at the HIV phylogeny it is proposed that the virus evoloved from SIV. This mens that there are strands of HIV that can be closely related to SIV. Being that HIV is a proposed decendent of SIV then it is should not be taken back that if a vaccination that could stop SIV in chimps could aslo prevent HIV in humans.
I talked more about my thoughts on the ethical treatment of chimps regarding testing in my QOTW #10 post if you care to read.
US Dept. Agriculture.(April 23, 2009). Animal Welfare Act. Retrieved Nov. 4, 2009 from
http://awic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=3&tax_subject=182
DYK: Most of you in the class know this already know that HIV is spreading at alarming rate. the need for education to help prevention is critical. Eventhough I have been looking at the education in the US I found some comfort that there are orginizations that help education of HIV and AIDS in third world counrties. UNICEF and UNAIDS contribute money, education tools, and training to help stop the spread of HIV world wide. For example, in Cameroon "Groups of around 30 teachers have been trained in two-day workshops, starting this year. So far, 750 teachers from across the country have been enrolled in the program, with the goal of reaching 900 by the end of October 2009," (UNICEF 2009). Lets hope they dont stick with the United States approach by stressing abstience and educate on prevention.
UNICEF. (Oct. 6 2009). Cameroon. Retreived on Nov. 4, 2009 from
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/cameroon_51320.html
First off I would like to thank those who responded to my blog #9 and telling of their experiences. Austin said that he had a hard time explaining to his friends that he had to take the test for a class. Well I can definitly relate to that, I had a hard enough time explaining my HIV test to my girl friend of almost two years.
QOTW #10 strikes up a question of ethics. Everyone has there own personal beleif about testing on animals. I feel one thing may be over looked and that is all of the regualations placed on animal testing. In my blog it talked about the Committee of Animal Research Ethics. This is one of the biggest regulatory committees dealing with the treatment of animals during testing. They have the power to shut down any research they determine is unethical to the treatment of animals. The committee must approve any testing before granting any money, allow any university reserach, and also how many animals are allowed to be used for research. I also read a student post that brought up the US Animal Welfare Act, which is:
The Animal Welfare Act was signed into law in 1966. While its original intent was
to regulate the care and use of animals in the laboratory, it has become the only
Federal law in the United States that regulates the treatment of animals in research,
exhibition, transport, and by dealers. Other laws, policies, and guidelines may include
additional species coverage or specifications for animal care and use, but all refer to the
Animal Welfare Act as the minimum acceptable standard (US Dept. Agriculture 2009).
It is not unnecessary to test any potential HIV medications or vaccinations on chimps because they do not get HIV. By looking at the HIV phylogeny it is proposed that the virus evoloved from SIV. This mens that there are strands of HIV that can be closely related to SIV. Being that HIV is a proposed decendent of SIV then it is should not be taken back that if a vaccination that could stop SIV in chimps could aslo prevent HIV in humans.
I talked more about my thoughts on the ethical treatment of chimps regarding testing in my QOTW #10 post if you care to read.
US Dept. Agriculture.(April 23, 2009). Animal Welfare Act. Retrieved Nov. 4, 2009 from
http://awic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=3&tax_subject=182
DYK: Most of you in the class know this already know that HIV is spreading at alarming rate. the need for education to help prevention is critical. Eventhough I have been looking at the education in the US I found some comfort that there are orginizations that help education of HIV and AIDS in third world counrties. UNICEF and UNAIDS contribute money, education tools, and training to help stop the spread of HIV world wide. For example, in Cameroon "Groups of around 30 teachers have been trained in two-day workshops, starting this year. So far, 750 teachers from across the country have been enrolled in the program, with the goal of reaching 900 by the end of October 2009," (UNICEF 2009). Lets hope they dont stick with the United States approach by stressing abstience and educate on prevention.
UNICEF. (Oct. 6 2009). Cameroon. Retreived on Nov. 4, 2009 from
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/cameroon_51320.html
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