Our question of the week sort of wrapped up our experience in this class. I'm not going to repeat my whole post on the discussion board, but to sum it all up, I feel that I have taken a lot from this class. I have a much better understanding about HIV. I've learned how it works, that it is very common, how people manage having HIV, and that anyone can get it. I have enjoyed this class very much. With a lot of classes, I don't care about what I'm learning. I just barely learn it so I can pass the tests and then I'm so glad to be done with it. With this class, I found that I actually enjoyed learning and I was very interested.
My goal after leaving this class, is to tell other people about HIV. It is something everyone needs to know about so they won't make any decisions that could cost them their life. I think telling people could be as simple as, "Did you know that HIV is the number one killer of black women ages 25-44? I didn't think HIV was that common." or telling them about the HIV class you took in college and what you learned. I will definitely educate any children I have in the future about HIV so that they will grow up knowing the risks and can make safe choices.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Blog #11
This week in our Question of the Week we learned that Florida is the number one ranked state for heterosexual transmission of HIV. I wondered why this is. I thought of a few explanations - 1. Maybe because Florida is a melting pot and so many people live here. 2. Maybe people who have HIV move to Florida to live the rest of their lives in a nice place. 3. Lots of people come here on vacation and they might be dishonest and engage in high-risk sex.
Those are a few of the reasons I thought of, but really I thought that somewhere like California or New York would be the highest. I would never have guessed Florida.
Did You Know:
"Today, about one in four Americans living with HIV are women." (WomensHealth.gov, 2009.) This did not really surprise me. I actually expected a higher percentage. Now I know that there are many more men with HIV than women.
Womenshealth.gov. (2009, March 4). Women & HIV/AIDS. Retrieved November 13, 2009, from http://www.womenshealth.gov/hiv/
Those are a few of the reasons I thought of, but really I thought that somewhere like California or New York would be the highest. I would never have guessed Florida.
Did You Know:
"Today, about one in four Americans living with HIV are women." (WomensHealth.gov, 2009.) This did not really surprise me. I actually expected a higher percentage. Now I know that there are many more men with HIV than women.
Womenshealth.gov. (2009, March 4). Women & HIV/AIDS. Retrieved November 13, 2009, from http://www.womenshealth.gov/hiv/
Monday, November 9, 2009
Blog #10
This week I was talking to a friend about HIV and they told me an urban legend or maybe a true story that I thought was really scary. In the story there was a man who took a girl home and had sex with her. When he woke up in the morning she was gone. He walked into his bathroom and written on the mirror in lipstick was "Welcome to the wonderful world of AIDS." I thought this story was really scary and could really make someone think twice about taking strangers home. But connecting it to our question of the week I think that this is an example where the tracking system could help. If this girl is going around doing this to strangers they could track her down and stop it from happening.
Also, this weekend, I was at a friend's house and he had a gay magazine. I read the magazine and there were ads for HIV medicine through the whole thing. I wondered why there were so many in the gay magazine and you never see any in straight magazines even though HIV is just as common in straight people.
Did you Know:
During 2005, the percentages of the race of people diagnosed with HIV were as follows: 66% black, 17% white, 14% Hispanic, 1% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 1% American Indian/Alaskan Native. (CDC, 2008.) As we all probably know black women were the highest percentage. I was still surprised to hear that more white people were diagnosed than Hispanic.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, August 3). HIV/AIDS Among Women. Retrieved October 12, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/resources/factsheets/women.htm.
Also, this weekend, I was at a friend's house and he had a gay magazine. I read the magazine and there were ads for HIV medicine through the whole thing. I wondered why there were so many in the gay magazine and you never see any in straight magazines even though HIV is just as common in straight people.
Did you Know:
During 2005, the percentages of the race of people diagnosed with HIV were as follows: 66% black, 17% white, 14% Hispanic, 1% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 1% American Indian/Alaskan Native. (CDC, 2008.) As we all probably know black women were the highest percentage. I was still surprised to hear that more white people were diagnosed than Hispanic.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, August 3). HIV/AIDS Among Women. Retrieved October 12, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/resources/factsheets/women.htm.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Blog #9
This week I realized that I am still somewhat hanging on to my previous ideas that HIV is mainly a disease that gay people have. I have some gay friends and I go to the gay club with them sometimes. The last time I went to the club, I met a guy who claimed to be straight. But because I met him in a gay club and he was hanging out with gay guys, I can't help but think that he is probably bisexual. I am very uncomfortable with him and every time we're together I think about getting HIV. Even when I kiss him all I can think about is what if his mouth starts bleeding? And I feel like I could never date this guy because I would never know if he was sleeping with guys behind my back and I could get HIV. But I realize that even with a completely straight guy, they could sleep with a girl behind my back and still give me HIV. I just have much more worries about a gay or bisexual guy even though I know that it is just as risky with a straight guy.
Did You Know: "A woman is significantly more likely than a man to contract HIV infection during vaginal intercourse." (CDC, 2009) I did not know this. I think this is even more incentive for women to be careful.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, August 3). HIV/AIDS Among Women. Retrieved October 12, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/resources/factsheets/women.htm.
Did You Know: "A woman is significantly more likely than a man to contract HIV infection during vaginal intercourse." (CDC, 2009) I did not know this. I think this is even more incentive for women to be careful.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, August 3). HIV/AIDS Among Women. Retrieved October 12, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/resources/factsheets/women.htm.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Blog #8
This week I started reading the book "Hot Zone" by Richard Preston. I've only read a little past the first chapter but I can already tell I'm going to like the book. It's right down my alley. I love scary, gory stuff and this book is going to have a lot of it. I don't want to spoil the book since a lot of people are probably going to read it for extra credit but it starts out with a lot of blood and sickness. And on the back cover Stephen King says, "The first chapter of The Hot Zone is one of the most horrifying things I've ever read in my whole life... and then it gets worse. That's what I keep marveling over: it keeps getting worse." Normally I hate reading and I would just choose the other extra credit option which was a movie but this book looked so interesting that I chose the book and I'm really excited about reading it.
Did You Know:
Lesbians very rarely get HIV but it is possible. "In 2003 a 20-year-old African American lesbian from Philadelphia contracted HIV from her female partner. Most likely she was infected from the use of sex toys, "used vigorously enough to cause exchange of blood-tinged body fluids," according to the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. This young woman had no other risk factors: she did not use intravenous drugs, had never had sex with a man, never had a blood transfusion, had no tattoos or piercings and only had sex with her partner for the previous two years." (About.com) I had never really thought about it but it does seem very unlikely that lesbians could get HIV unless they inject drugs because they don't really exchange body fluids. But I think that everyone, no matter what their sexuality, should be very careful about their sexual decisions because something could happen even if you least expect it.
Works Cited:
Preston, R. (1994). Hot Zone. New York: Random House.
About.com. Can Lesbians get HIV or AIDS? Retrieved October 27, 2009, from http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/lesbianhealth/a/LesbianAIDS.htm
Did You Know:
Lesbians very rarely get HIV but it is possible. "In 2003 a 20-year-old African American lesbian from Philadelphia contracted HIV from her female partner. Most likely she was infected from the use of sex toys, "used vigorously enough to cause exchange of blood-tinged body fluids," according to the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. This young woman had no other risk factors: she did not use intravenous drugs, had never had sex with a man, never had a blood transfusion, had no tattoos or piercings and only had sex with her partner for the previous two years." (About.com) I had never really thought about it but it does seem very unlikely that lesbians could get HIV unless they inject drugs because they don't really exchange body fluids. But I think that everyone, no matter what their sexuality, should be very careful about their sexual decisions because something could happen even if you least expect it.
Works Cited:
Preston, R. (1994). Hot Zone. New York: Random House.
About.com. Can Lesbians get HIV or AIDS? Retrieved October 27, 2009, from http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/lesbianhealth/a/LesbianAIDS.htm
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Blog #7
I haven't done a whole lot in this class this week because I did some work ahead of time and was already caught up. But I did go back to get my HIV test results which came back negative. I have been thinking a lot about how it would feel to have HIV though. I have a friend who has genital herpes and he was saying how it sucks having to tell girls he gets involved with that he has it. And I have to admit that I used to be physically attracted to him but after finding out that he has herpes I'm not really sexually attracted to him. This is when I first started realizing how it would feel to have an STD.
Even with something like herpes, if I fell in love with the person, I wouldn't mind taking the chance of catching it. But for someone with HIV, no matter how much I felt like I loved them, I would never sleep with them. I feel horrible for people with any kind of STD, but I feel the worst for people with HIV. Pretty much their only hope of having sex is not telling people and using a condom, or sleeping with someone who also has HIV and using a condom. I don't think many people who don't have HIV would willingly have sex with someone who does. And as far as love, most healthy people wouldn't give love a chance with someone that they know is going to die.
Did you Know:
"In the North Carolina study of HIV infection in black women, the participants most commonly reported that that their reasons for risky behavior were financial dependence on male partners, feeling invincible, low self-esteem coupled with the need to feel loved by a male figure, and alcohol and drug use." All of these reasons are bad ones but understandable. Financial independence and alcohol and drug use are the ones that are a little harder to control I think because they don't have to do with your feelings. But feeling invincible and having low self-esteem can be worked on more easily. Just talking to someone or thinking about it can make someone realize that they are not invincible and they do not need a man to feel self-worth.
Works Cited:
CDC. HIV Transmission Among Black Women—North Carolina, 2004. MMWR 2005;54:89–94.
Even with something like herpes, if I fell in love with the person, I wouldn't mind taking the chance of catching it. But for someone with HIV, no matter how much I felt like I loved them, I would never sleep with them. I feel horrible for people with any kind of STD, but I feel the worst for people with HIV. Pretty much their only hope of having sex is not telling people and using a condom, or sleeping with someone who also has HIV and using a condom. I don't think many people who don't have HIV would willingly have sex with someone who does. And as far as love, most healthy people wouldn't give love a chance with someone that they know is going to die.
Did you Know:
"In the North Carolina study of HIV infection in black women, the participants most commonly reported that that their reasons for risky behavior were financial dependence on male partners, feeling invincible, low self-esteem coupled with the need to feel loved by a male figure, and alcohol and drug use." All of these reasons are bad ones but understandable. Financial independence and alcohol and drug use are the ones that are a little harder to control I think because they don't have to do with your feelings. But feeling invincible and having low self-esteem can be worked on more easily. Just talking to someone or thinking about it can make someone realize that they are not invincible and they do not need a man to feel self-worth.
Works Cited:
CDC. HIV Transmission Among Black Women—North Carolina, 2004. MMWR 2005;54:89–94.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Blog #6
This week I go back to get my HIV test results. I was going to wait until after I got the results to write my blog but it's almost Wednesday and the place didn't call me back yet. Even though I already know that I don't have HIV from my last test, somewhere in the back of my mind I still feel like I might have it somehow. It's not nearly as nerve wracking as the first time though.
For my country I picked Australia. Basically, there is no law saying that a person with HIV must disclose their status to a sexual partner, but they must take every precaution to prevent spreading HIV to that person. Someone can go to prison for 15-20 years for spreading HIV to another person. The laws are a little different in different sections of Australia but that is the basis of it.
Did you know:
From the beginning of the epidemic through 2005, women made up 16% of AIDS deaths. This percentage was actually lower than I expected. I guess it makes sense since in the beginning most of the people who died were gay men but still I expected the percentage to be a little higher.
Works Cited:
People Living with HIV/AIDS. HIV & The Law. Retrieved October 12, 2009, from http://www.plwhavictoria.org.au/HIV%20&%20The%20Law/hiv%20&%20the%20law.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, August 3). HIV/AIDS Among Women. Retrieved October 12, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/resources/factsheets/women.htm.
For my country I picked Australia. Basically, there is no law saying that a person with HIV must disclose their status to a sexual partner, but they must take every precaution to prevent spreading HIV to that person. Someone can go to prison for 15-20 years for spreading HIV to another person. The laws are a little different in different sections of Australia but that is the basis of it.
Did you know:
From the beginning of the epidemic through 2005, women made up 16% of AIDS deaths. This percentage was actually lower than I expected. I guess it makes sense since in the beginning most of the people who died were gay men but still I expected the percentage to be a little higher.
Works Cited:
People Living with HIV/AIDS. HIV & The Law. Retrieved October 12, 2009, from http://www.plwhavictoria.org.au/HIV%20&%20The%20Law/hiv%20&%20the%20law.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, August 3). HIV/AIDS Among Women. Retrieved October 12, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/resources/factsheets/women.htm.
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