Full Circle...

This article talks about a woman's choice to reveal her HIV status,  How so many feel they have to hide theirs even though it's been over 30 years since HIV was 1st diagnosed & we have decades of advancements.  She works with a programs to promote HIV awareness  in Iowa.  Often people ask  her the most basic questions about HIV & tell her they receive no education in their schools on the disease.  She expressed how she felt we'd come full circle & people were again ignorant of HIV.

She's right.

Cya...

Ignorance Prevails...

This article is about schools in the UK, but I have no reason to believe those in the US would fare any better.  The level of ignorance regarding HIV among the teaching staff was ridiculous.  Their willingness to spread outdated, misinformation intolerable.    For most of these instructors, HIV, nor even health, was their field.  However, if a teacher is going to discuss a matter in class, they should be competent on the matter.  There's tons of widely, easily available & verifiable information concerning HIV on the net.  Their indulgent ignorance is damaging & embarrassing to their profession, not to mention the children who might be + in their classes.

For more evidence of the ignorance regarding HIV, read the whole article, especially the comments.

Cya...

X2...

This article details how HIV transmission rates in young people ranging from their teens to their late 20's has doubled in Maryland.  After years of reversing course & curbing the spread of HIV. the virus is advancing again among the youngest in the population.    The  same thing is being witnessed across the nation.

Why?  Lack of information regarding HIV.   Lack of a sense of mortality among young people.  The inability of many teens to realistically comprehend risks & to react appropriately.    The very success of the fight against HIV has led to its failure.

The illness is no longer an immediate pronouncement of death.  Instead, its just the end of the life you had.   HIV is seen as a treatable, chronic illness, not the Grim Reaper knocking on your door.   The lack of education to these young people in any meaningful manner has left them vulnerable & in many cases +.

So much for the zero transmission movement.  The unwillingness of the public to educate & remain vigilant on the matter, combined with youthful indiscretion has led to another huge generation of people who will live the rest of their lives, HIV +.

Go Us, 

Cya...

Up, Yet Again....

You can Google these topics if you want.  They're everywhere right now.  1st is the development & rapid spread of a new strain of HIV in Russia.   2nd is the spike in new HIV cases in Australia.   Why am I putting these 2 topics together?  

Easy, they both have to do with a lack of communication & education.  According to many of the posts I've read, the Russian strain developed in Siberia.  An area, like most of Russia, that doesn't support much in the ways of sex ed.  There's little talking about how babies are made, let alone how STD's are spread.

Australia may have better sex ed, but the people aren't getting the message on HIV.  People are acting like it's the 1980's & that they don't have access to info about the virus & how to prevent it.  They're being indulgent. lazy & ignorant.

I've said before that communication is the key to ending HIV.  It really doesn't matter what meds are available or tests are possible, if people aren't going to talk about them & others won't listen.  The biggest detriment to ending HIV, even more than lack of funds, is ignorance.

Cya...