AIDS

HIV and/or AIDS is a life threatening disease that is affecting society

today. It is a serious epidemic that is threatening millions of lives around the
world. A person can become HIV infected thorough the sharing syringes or through
vaginal or anal sex, one does not become infected from the air as some might think.
It is infected through the blood. Testing positive for human immunodefiency virus
or HIV, means that you carry the antibodies, you can be HIV infected and not have
AIDS, AIDS occurs in later stage of infection. A person is infectious through all
stages, although studies have shown that a person is most infectious during the
early stage of detection and in the final stage of AIDS, during the midcourse of
the infection they are less infectious. There are several things that one can do
to prevent becoming HIV positive. One items is that you can practice abstinence,
or on a more realistic view, one should be monogamous and always use condoms. It
has been researched that the use of condoms lowers the risk of becoming HIV
infected by 90%. Although this protection is not 100% it is the only way that
actually helps prevent you from getting the virus. I think that society should
make condoms more accessible to young people, I believe they should have condom
machines in girl and guys school bathrooms. I also feel that they should be
distributed in school social events such as dances or proms, when it is most likely
that they will be having sex. Giving youth condoms is not encouraging sex, in my
opinion yet it is educated them that they must protect themselves not only from
unwanted pregnancies or venereal disease but from death, and from future spread of
this epidemic. Studies shown that 50% of infected people are youths between the
ages of 15 to 24 years of age. (Public Health Reports Jul. 1995, v110n4, p462-466.
If this is the stage that statistics is showing that are most k]likely to contract
the virus than why not do everything possible to help prevent it.

Another study that I believe has brought results in the needle exchange program, In
which drug users go and exchange their dirty needles for clean ones in order to
prevent becoming or getting someone infected. "There are increasing data showing
that those who regularly exchange their syringes in such programs benefit by
lowering their risk of HIV acquisition". Khoshnood, Haven Public Health Reports Jul
1995, v110n4, p 462-466.

I believe that AIDS education should be mandated in al states. As I stated before,

if we are going to control this virus we need to educate from the start, if 11
years olds are having sex then they can spread the virus, them we need to teach
them about AIDS and what to do to protect themselves. Whether we like it or not,
or whether it is right or wrong, children are having sex and they need to be
educated. Yes, we should teach them not to have sex, but those who still prefer to
have sex need to be taught the precautions and how to protect themselves. "We could
make a real difference and slow the spread of HIV of we learn to be open and frank
with young people" says Dr.Merson " The widespread introduction of well-planned sex
education will go far to protect our children from the risk if HIV infection now.."
Women International Network winter 1994, v20n1, p 19. Homosexuality also need to be
taught to young people and the dangers and risk of having sex.

"Most people diagnosed with the life threatening illness may feel that their lives
reeling out of control-spinning faster and faster as loss surmounts loss, panic
overtakes reason, chaos defeats order" (Reed, Brian. HIV, AIDS and the Law, Lambda
book report Jul 1996, v5n1, p37-38) I believe this is true yet, I think that as
each year goes by the outlook for people who have contracted HIV is brighter. Each
year more studies have been made and each time a little step closer to a cure.
Although there is still not a cure and we may still be far from finding one, I
think that there is hope and people who have contracted HIV should think positive
so that their spirit remain high. They have found drugs like protease inhibitors
which in clinical trials ion human, have reduces the virus in the bloodstream by as
much as 99%. (Pitta, Jule Home Edition, Los Angeles Times, 1-15-95, pB-8) Also, the
FDA is making experimental drugs available to individuals who are suffering from
life threatening disease and I believe that it is excellent. If drugs are needed
to be tested why not test and let human people with the virus use these drugs
rather than animals. (Chaggiano, Christopher, First treatment approved for sever
PCP.. Vol 28, FDA Consumer, 301094 pg. 7).

I believe that mandatory testing of Health Care workers should be dome, yet it
violates their right to privacy and self-determination and can not be justifies by
claims concerning public welfare or epidemic control. It wasted resources it
creates false impressions about patient exposure proneness from surgical
procedures, it discriminated against surgeons and other health care personnel, and
it create d unnecessary administrative and liability headaches for physicians and
hospitals, In short it is unethical. (Bradtson, Keith, Vol. 19, Second Opinion, 1-
1-94 P 26)

Altogether AIDS needs to be controlled. Whether it is educating our youth or

testing healthcare workers. It needs to be controlled. So, until there is a cure.
We must go to all extremes in preventing this virus from spreading much more that
it already has. If you could spread it then you need to be tested, educated ,
isolated and treated. We must do all that it takes to prevent someone else from
being infected.