From news broadcasts, to labels on Starbucks coffee cups, we are undoubtedly exposed to the topic of HIV/AIDS. This portrayal however, is not the whole picture. How much do we actually know about AIDS, and can we be doing more? As consumers, it is appeasing to buy a cup of coffee and assist in AIDS research all at the same time. In a way, it seems to justify the $4 we are spending on a cup of coffee that traveled from who knows where and will produce even more waste for us to deal with later. Although the good intent is there, there is much more information people need to be aware of regarding this chronic illness.
AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which evolves from HIV: human immunodeficiency virus. This virus targets specific aspects of a person’s immune system destroying T cells and CD4 cells which target infections and diseases. Once the immune system gets weak to the point where it can no longer fight the HIV, AIDS develops leading to an array of other infections that can be fatal. Unfortunately, there is no cure as of yet, but there are ways to sustain life and make the phase of HIV last longer, delaying the onset of AIDS. With proper treatment, victims of HIV can suspend AIDS for decades.
Large amounts of funding for research are currently taking place globally, but the rates of HIV continue to rise; this is especially true to parts of the world facing other national problems such as poverty, famine, and political instability. Although there are cases of HIV/AIDS in the United States, it is still seen as a disease most prevalent in “third world” countries. The truth here is that although we see the most common effects of AIDS in poorer economies, this disease is a pandemic that is spreading everywhere and needs to be addressed..
Throughout the rest of the semester, I hope to explore not just the science of the disease, but subjects such as:
· Demographics and trends of AIDS
· Globalization and the effect on the spread of this pandemic
· Global funds
· Effect the state of the economy and well being has on AIDS
· Efforts made world wide to prevent HIV
· Health care provisions
As a departing thought, a comment from Hoosen M Coovadia and Jacqui Hadingham in an article written about globalization and the AIDS pandemic states:
“Globalization is both midwife to the spread of the disease, as modern travel facilitates rapid dissemination of HIV infection across national borders, and, through concerted global action, triumphant conqueror over its devastating impact and expansion.”
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This seems like a very interesting topic. I am curious to see how disposability contributes to the spread of the AIDS epidemic and possible solutions and ways we as a society can prevent the spread.