HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention Today
Many remember the AIDS epidemic that occurred in the 80’s and 90’s. It is safe to say that many believe that aids is just a thing of the past. The aids epidemic is not a thing of the past it’s not over, the youth seems to be getting hit pretty hard even though they have the tool and information they choose not to protect themselves. In 2016 it was noted that 610,000 people between the ages of 15 and 24 were infected with HIV/AIDS. The whole “aids epidemic is a thing of the past” is not only affecting how the youth chooses to protect themselves it is also affecting how they intake the information given to them.
The knowledge of HIV/AIDS in the youth is actually pretty low. According to Afr Midwifery in 2006 only 41%of males and females ages 15–24 know the ways you can contract aids and or hiv, 25% had misconceptions about aids/hiv transmissions and 50% of young people around the world carry misconceptions.
In a survey done by Abigail Kazembe participants residing in Malawi would write down questions about sexuality as well as HIV/AIDS transmission. 394 questions were asked 31 of those questions revolved around where HIV/AIDS came from, how it looked and where it is located in the body. 30 questions were asked about other ways the virus could be transmitted like menstruating and bug bites. 57 questions were asked about transmission by sharing food, eating utensils, toilet seats and toothbrushes. 30 questions were asked about prevention and condom usage. One even asked if having sexual intercourse standing up lessen the chances of contracting the viruses. The number of questions asked in each category shows that the youth need better and clearer information about HIV/AIDS transmissions and way to prevent it. In the data it was stated that 50% of young people around the world also carry these misconceptions about HIV/AIDS.
A family member of mines is a former HIV/AIDS tester and stated that many young people who got tested did not understand the ways that the viruses are transmitted, did not know the difference between the two and seemed to be worried about other STI’S and STD’s more than HIV and AIDS. She also stated that since it is no longer considered a plague due to the different advances we have people do not care as much because they think if they do get it they can purchase medicine for it and everything will be a-okay. However that should not stop people from getting the proper education.
“AIDS has certainly not gone away,” said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a professor of medicine and public health at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine.
The biggest question is how can we do better at educating the youth. We need the media to pay more attention to be more involved especially at this day and age. When I was younger commercials about HIV/AIDS awareness would pop up on the television screen daily with the number of the hotline and of course a website at the bottom of the screen. Those commercials seem to be a thing of the past. Activist state that when media fails to to touch on HIV and AIDS it loses the opportunity to educate, inform and of course save lives. What else can be done? More classes reiterating the basics of HIV AND AIDS, bulletin boards should be dedicated to HIV and AIDS, classes should watch films on it and children should be required to read books about it in school. If teachers, principles, parents ,friends and the government are not taking the virus as seriously neither will the youth. HIV and AIDS statics have not been updated since 2016 some information can only be dated back to 2004, 05 and 06, that is a huge problem. With this lack of data it is hard to determine how many people have HIV/AIDS, how many people have passed from it , how many people are still misinformed and much more.
Since my post is all about what is not being done I decided that I would give some information on what HIV and AIDS is, transmission and prevention.
What is the difference between HIV and AIDS?
They are different diagnosis but go hand and hand. HIV is a virus, AIDS is caused by HIV. You can have HIV without developing AIDS. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus it infects only humans and it attacks the immune system, which makes it less efficient.
AIDS is known as a condition or syndrome. If you are infected with HIV it can lead to the development of AIDS which stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is developed when HIV causes damage to the immune system. You can have HIV without getting aids, however if you AIDS you already have HIV since there is no cure.
How is HIV and AIDS transmitted?
HIV and AIDS is transmitted by having anal or vaginal sex with someone who has HIV without using a condom. Sharing needles or syringes, from mother to child during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding and through body fluids such as blood, semen, pre-semen, rectal fluids and vaginal fluids. It can be spread from a guy to a girl, a girl to a guy , a guy to a guy and a girl to a girl. You CAN NOT get HIV/AIDS by hugging, shaking hands, sharing dishes , sharing toilets, through saliva, kissing, tears, through the air or by blood sucking insects.
How Can I prevent HIV/AIDS
- Always use condoms, there is little to no risk of getting HIV/AIDS through oral sex but if you would feel more comfortable knowing there is a barrier you can use a dental dam or a cut- open non lubricated condom.
- Do not share needles for drugs, piercings or tattoos.
- Get tested and know your partner’s HIV status
As a whole we all have to do better at continuously educating our youth to keep them safe! Please get tested.
If you have any questions about sexual health, testing/health services, STD’S or STI’S feel free to call 1–800–332–2437 a private anonymous hotline.
References:
- Kazembe, A. (2018). Question box: a tool for gathering information about HIV and AIDS. [online] PubMed Central (PMC). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3139951/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2018].
- Garcia, A. and Taylor-Brown, S. (2014). HIV Affected and Vulnerable Youth. 1st ed. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.
- Almendrala, Anna. “Thousands Of Americans Still Die Of AIDS Every Year.” The Huffington Post. September 12, 2017. Accessed April 20, 2018. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hiv-aids-deaths-united-states_us_59b6bb38e4b06e4604a22f2c.
- Gallant, J. (2018). 100 Questions & Answers About HIV and AIDS. [online] Google Books. Available at: https://books.google.com/books?id=X-uh376aF8UC&printsec=frontcover&dq=100+questions+and+answers+about+hiv+and+aids&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiv8-bFpOLaAhXEg-AKHSvSDssQ6AEILDAB#v=onepage&q=100%20questions%20and%20answers%20about%20hiv%20and%20aids&f=false [Accessed 20 Apr. 2018].
- Aggleton, Peter, and Ian Warwick. “Education and HIV/AIDS Prevention Among Young People.” AIDS Education and Prevention14, no. 3 (2002): 263–67. doi:10.1521/aeap.14.3.263.23895.
- Sy, Francisco S. Aids Education and Prevention: An Interdisciplinary Journal. Place of Publication Not Identified: Guilford, 1989.
- Of Medicine, U. (2018). The Basics of HIV Prevention Understanding HIV/AIDS. [online] AIDSinfo. Available at: https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv-aids/fact-sheets/20/48/the-basics-of-hiv-prevention [Accessed 20 Apr. 2018].
