AIDS During The 1980s
In the 1980s, the words “AIDS” and “HIV” were not on the radar for most of American society. The words were just something people might occasionally hear when someone passed away, but these the deaths almost never occurred close to home. America would quickly become confronted with the threat of AIDS as a very serious health epidemic. If one were to ask someone during the 1980s their thoughts, they might reply with a vague response that AIDS was just a marginal disease affecting a remote section of the world. Discovery of AIDS was not the biggest news that happened in America, for they saw it more as an outside threat that they would not believe that AIDS to spread into the United States. AIDS was the new disease that one would need to be aware
…show more content…
of but the word never really had the effect it should have. HIV/AIDS is a sexual transmitted disease that originally came from Africa, hence it is on low radar because researchers and the nation did not think it would expand so greatly. The discovery of AIDS constructed the search for the treatment to expand, and made safe sex a more profound subject to reduce the risk of contracting the STD.
Although stemming from Africa, HIV spread throughout the world at an alarming rate.
Research showed that the virus was first found in a type of chimpanzee in West Africa. It has been found that humans first contracted this virus when they hunted the animal for food. The first appearance occurred in in a blood sample from a man living in the Dominican Republic of Congo.. This drastic spread was the cause of sex trade within Africa. Once in America, many patients , in the areas of New York and California, were going into the hospital and an abundance of doctors had no answers for the unexpected disease. They saw many infections that “would not be seen in healthy adults” (Quammen). The disease became aware to the public in 1981. There were many names for the disease mostly relating to the word gay, but it wasn't till 1982 that scientists saw the virus spreading in haemophiliacs and heroin users. Finally, the disease was named …show more content…
AIDS.
Thereafter, the increase in failure to understand and know the disease, lead to an increase in AIDS. Today, there are 36.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS. “More than one million people are infected with AIDS…” and this is the result of many people ignoring their knowledge (Hunter). AIDS is most commonly contracted by unprotected sexual encounters, but there are far more alarming ways. Mothers unaware of having the virus can give their baby the virus by breast milk. In 1982, another way to contract HIV, scientist discovered that the HIV virus spreading through blood transfusions. Another way today to be at high risk of contracting the disease is through the act of needle sharing. Between the years of 2002 and 2003 there was an “...adding a quarter of a million new cases” came in the appearance (Hunter). With the knowledge of how one can contract the disease, knowing can help mitigate the associated consequences that comes with contracting the disease. In countries that have “...aggressive prevention programs...”(Global Impact of HIV and AIDS) AIDS rates have significantly declined. This epidemic is the largest the world has seen and it is mainly because American and people around the world ignore the consequences and knowledge.
At the same time, AIDS and HIV have many distinct traits that many do not know. HIV is a virus that is contracted through sexual contact, or bodily fluids. This virus causes a depletion in one's immune system, because of this AIDS appears as the final stage. First Stage is an acute infection, which is two to four weeks after obtaining the infection one will obtain flu like symptoms. During this stage “...large amounts of viruses are produced throughout the body” (AIDS.gov). One's immune cells will attack the virus, but the greatest amount of viruses causes the cells to fall quickly. At the clinical latency stage, which is where the disease produces without causing any symptoms. The third and final stage is AIDS. AIDS causes unthinkable infections and cancer occurring in healthy adults. This can happen because the immune system is no longer working. AIDS first appearing in the United States, many of the infections were coming from active homosexual men. A harmless fungus, known as Pneumocystis carinii caused became affected men’s worst nightmare. This bacterial floats around everywhere, and because their immune systems could not fight it off, the fungus filled in their lungs. The doctors were seeing the immune system was not working properly. After the fungus came, there was “a rare form of cancer, not usually too aggressive, known as Kaposi’s sarcoma…” (Quammen). This caused purplish nodules in the skin to appear.
Later, a treatment was found that improved the life of many individuals to help them manage the side effects of HIV. The treatment keeps the immune cell count increased to prevent HIV related complication to occur. The treatment protracts the affects so many people are able to live for a normal life span. The expected rate is “... many people can live to be in their 70s” (Healthline). Without treatment, HIV advances into three stages. Without treatment people usually only live for three years once it has progressed into AIDS one will have one year left. The treatment is a necessity in living a life with HIV.
Beyond the treatment discovery, the increase in AIDS in Africa has caused a drastic decline in economic growth. Many who are infected are in the “working class” of Africa (Global Impact of HIV and AIDS) . With the working class being affected, many cannot work because the side effects of HIV and AIDS. This caused a huge increase in imported goods and a substantial decrease in exporting goods. Africa cannot make any money, so the countries lose an abundance in their economy. The large need for the treatment in the underdeveloped countries, causes a strain on their economy with the substantial demand for the treatment. Many who are affected are not able to go work and are put into poverty because they are unable to pay for the treatment. Because the treatment is expensive, many people had to use all the money they had on the treatment. With the falling economy in industrializing countries, the health cost for treatment has increased because of the number of AIDS cases. With AIDS/HIV on the rise, poverty rates have continued to increase and economic growth rapidly declining. During the 1980s, in order to prevent a decline in our economic growth, AIDS, altered the was the Center of Disease Control and Prevention looked more closely at outside threats. In the early age of AIDS, coming in America “media, the public, or politicians” gave insufficient attention to AIDS. After more cases began appearing, in 1992 the Center of Disease Control issued the same guideline to helping patients as they did from hepatitis. Many health care officials were “concerned about their own safety, in some cases,...” (CDC), many of them began to refuse care to the infected patients.No one understood how one could obtain the disease, all they knew was it was a pernicious disease. Since the Center of Disease and Control looked at AIDS as an inconsequential disease, they took other outside threats more seriously. Ebola originated in Africa never came to the United States. This was a deadly disease that was taking the lives of many people in Africa and the US tried to stop it. The United States sent doctors and scientist to investigate the disease. The affected countries immediately isolated the threat be quarantining many villages to keep the disease from spreading any further. In addition to the Center of Disease and Control forming new roles, Ryan White became the face of school discrimination and AIDS. Ryan White was an innocent boy from Kokomo, Indiana who was a hemophiliac. During the time of Ryan White, contracting AIDS “was not all that uncommon.” After being diagnosed Ryan White wanted to go back to school. Once Ryan White returned to school, he faced a great deal of hatred not only from students but from the school board. Once the Indiana State Board of Health set guidelines saying it would be fine for him to return to school, Ryan White's School Board believed that he should not be allowed to attend normal school. AIDS had been found that one could not contract the disease by casual contact. Once his mother took the case to court, Ryan received widespread attention. Many were “sending in letters showing their acceptance...” (White's Story is Publicized). With Ryan White's prominent role in the AIDS epidemic, he brought the attention needed for becoming an advocate for speaking out about AIDS. With the attention of the media, he was able to attend school, but Ryan White died a month before his high school graduation. Furthermore, Ryan White first sparking the attention to AIDS, the attention also went to rights of the homosexual community.
Once AIDS was first discovered, many homosexuals, or if they seemed homosexual, lost their jobs. Many were evicted of their homes or apartments. Because so many feared the new disease. Funeral homes “refused to handle bodies…” of those who had died of AIDS. AIDS brought the spotlight to the homosexual community and “probably advanced gay rights more than anything else in history.” The homosexual community raised up for their right when AIDS was pointed to them as their fault. Many people stood up for what they believed in for the rights of all humans. The discrimination toward the homosexuals was not only in america, but around the world. At least 76 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean “have anti-homosexual laws”(Picard). Not only did this give the community right, but those with diseases and with disabilities
too.
Beyond having attention for homosexual right, the need and attention for safe sex is immense for today's age. In 2014 ages 13-24, have accounted for one in five new diagnoses. This is mostly caused because many young unknowledgeable teens and young adults do not practice safe sex. Unprotected sex is the number one most caused way the population is contracting AIDS. A vast majority of those infected with AIDS is “...young women and girls…[living] in South Africa.”(Young People, HIV and AIDS) More than 5,000 girls a week acquires AIDS in South Africa because of frequent sex trade. An abundant number of these sex workers do not use condoms or birth control because they are not provided with it. Unprotected sex infections can predominantly be seen through sex trade throughout the world. The inflation in continued unprotected sex throughout the world causes for more people today to be infected with AIDS. High sex trade units are predominantly found in high impoverished countries, expanding the growth of AIDS throughout the region and increasing rates of poverty. A case study showed that 95% of people who have HIV/AIDS live in poverty. This can be seen all around the world. Many of the factors are weak health infrastructures, lack of education, and the lack of resources needed. High impoverished urban area of the United States with a low annual household income show for the “...greater HIV prevalence rate.”(Gayle). Also, the life expectancy rates in Africa have declined from fifty nine years old to forty five in less than five years. AIDS has been in the world for less than 30 years and has made an astounding epidemic within each country throughout the world. The disease has come with good thing but more bad. With AIDS effecting economy, Human rights, and even life, HIV/AIDS is a huge thing to happen in the world. Since the epidemic began 1,216,917 people have been diagnosed with AIDS. This disease has altered the way we look at diseases seen around the world and how we look at eachother today.
of but the word never really had the effect it should have. HIV/AIDS is a sexual transmitted disease that originally came from Africa, hence it is on low radar because researchers and the nation did not think it would expand so greatly. The discovery of AIDS constructed the search for the treatment to expand, and made safe sex a more profound subject to reduce the risk of contracting the STD.
Although stemming from Africa, HIV spread throughout the world at an alarming rate.
Research showed that the virus was first found in a type of chimpanzee in West Africa. It has been found that humans first contracted this virus when they hunted the animal for food. The first appearance occurred in in a blood sample from a man living in the Dominican Republic of Congo.. This drastic spread was the cause of sex trade within Africa. Once in America, many patients , in the areas of New York and California, were going into the hospital and an abundance of doctors had no answers for the unexpected disease. They saw many infections that “would not be seen in healthy adults” (Quammen). The disease became aware to the public in 1981. There were many names for the disease mostly relating to the word gay, but it wasn't till 1982 that scientists saw the virus spreading in haemophiliacs and heroin users. Finally, the disease was named …show more content…
AIDS.
Thereafter, the increase in failure to understand and know the disease, lead to an increase in AIDS. Today, there are 36.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS. “More than one million people are infected with AIDS…” and this is the result of many people ignoring their knowledge (Hunter). AIDS is most commonly contracted by unprotected sexual encounters, but there are far more alarming ways. Mothers unaware of having the virus can give their baby the virus by breast milk. In 1982, another way to contract HIV, scientist discovered that the HIV virus spreading through blood transfusions. Another way today to be at high risk of contracting the disease is through the act of needle sharing. Between the years of 2002 and 2003 there was an “...adding a quarter of a million new cases” came in the appearance (Hunter). With the knowledge of how one can contract the disease, knowing can help mitigate the associated consequences that comes with contracting the disease. In countries that have “...aggressive prevention programs...”(Global Impact of HIV and AIDS) AIDS rates have significantly declined. This epidemic is the largest the world has seen and it is mainly because American and people around the world ignore the consequences and knowledge.
At the same time, AIDS and HIV have many distinct traits that many do not know. HIV is a virus that is contracted through sexual contact, or bodily fluids. This virus causes a depletion in one's immune system, because of this AIDS appears as the final stage. First Stage is an acute infection, which is two to four weeks after obtaining the infection one will obtain flu like symptoms. During this stage “...large amounts of viruses are produced throughout the body” (AIDS.gov). One's immune cells will attack the virus, but the greatest amount of viruses causes the cells to fall quickly. At the clinical latency stage, which is where the disease produces without causing any symptoms. The third and final stage is AIDS. AIDS causes unthinkable infections and cancer occurring in healthy adults. This can happen because the immune system is no longer working. AIDS first appearing in the United States, many of the infections were coming from active homosexual men. A harmless fungus, known as Pneumocystis carinii caused became affected men’s worst nightmare. This bacterial floats around everywhere, and because their immune systems could not fight it off, the fungus filled in their lungs. The doctors were seeing the immune system was not working properly. After the fungus came, there was “a rare form of cancer, not usually too aggressive, known as Kaposi’s sarcoma…” (Quammen). This caused purplish nodules in the skin to appear.
Later, a treatment was found that improved the life of many individuals to help them manage the side effects of HIV. The treatment keeps the immune cell count increased to prevent HIV related complication to occur. The treatment protracts the affects so many people are able to live for a normal life span. The expected rate is “... many people can live to be in their 70s” (Healthline). Without treatment, HIV advances into three stages. Without treatment people usually only live for three years once it has progressed into AIDS one will have one year left. The treatment is a necessity in living a life with HIV.
Beyond the treatment discovery, the increase in AIDS in Africa has caused a drastic decline in economic growth. Many who are infected are in the “working class” of Africa (Global Impact of HIV and AIDS) . With the working class being affected, many cannot work because the side effects of HIV and AIDS. This caused a huge increase in imported goods and a substantial decrease in exporting goods. Africa cannot make any money, so the countries lose an abundance in their economy. The large need for the treatment in the underdeveloped countries, causes a strain on their economy with the substantial demand for the treatment. Many who are affected are not able to go work and are put into poverty because they are unable to pay for the treatment. Because the treatment is expensive, many people had to use all the money they had on the treatment. With the falling economy in industrializing countries, the health cost for treatment has increased because of the number of AIDS cases. With AIDS/HIV on the rise, poverty rates have continued to increase and economic growth rapidly declining. During the 1980s, in order to prevent a decline in our economic growth, AIDS, altered the was the Center of Disease Control and Prevention looked more closely at outside threats. In the early age of AIDS, coming in America “media, the public, or politicians” gave insufficient attention to AIDS. After more cases began appearing, in 1992 the Center of Disease Control issued the same guideline to helping patients as they did from hepatitis. Many health care officials were “concerned about their own safety, in some cases,...” (CDC), many of them began to refuse care to the infected patients.No one understood how one could obtain the disease, all they knew was it was a pernicious disease. Since the Center of Disease and Control looked at AIDS as an inconsequential disease, they took other outside threats more seriously. Ebola originated in Africa never came to the United States. This was a deadly disease that was taking the lives of many people in Africa and the US tried to stop it. The United States sent doctors and scientist to investigate the disease. The affected countries immediately isolated the threat be quarantining many villages to keep the disease from spreading any further. In addition to the Center of Disease and Control forming new roles, Ryan White became the face of school discrimination and AIDS. Ryan White was an innocent boy from Kokomo, Indiana who was a hemophiliac. During the time of Ryan White, contracting AIDS “was not all that uncommon.” After being diagnosed Ryan White wanted to go back to school. Once Ryan White returned to school, he faced a great deal of hatred not only from students but from the school board. Once the Indiana State Board of Health set guidelines saying it would be fine for him to return to school, Ryan White's School Board believed that he should not be allowed to attend normal school. AIDS had been found that one could not contract the disease by casual contact. Once his mother took the case to court, Ryan received widespread attention. Many were “sending in letters showing their acceptance...” (White's Story is Publicized). With Ryan White's prominent role in the AIDS epidemic, he brought the attention needed for becoming an advocate for speaking out about AIDS. With the attention of the media, he was able to attend school, but Ryan White died a month before his high school graduation. Furthermore, Ryan White first sparking the attention to AIDS, the attention also went to rights of the homosexual community.
Once AIDS was first discovered, many homosexuals, or if they seemed homosexual, lost their jobs. Many were evicted of their homes or apartments. Because so many feared the new disease. Funeral homes “refused to handle bodies…” of those who had died of AIDS. AIDS brought the spotlight to the homosexual community and “probably advanced gay rights more than anything else in history.” The homosexual community raised up for their right when AIDS was pointed to them as their fault. Many people stood up for what they believed in for the rights of all humans. The discrimination toward the homosexuals was not only in america, but around the world. At least 76 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean “have anti-homosexual laws”(Picard). Not only did this give the community right, but those with diseases and with disabilities
too.
Beyond having attention for homosexual right, the need and attention for safe sex is immense for today's age. In 2014 ages 13-24, have accounted for one in five new diagnoses. This is mostly caused because many young unknowledgeable teens and young adults do not practice safe sex. Unprotected sex is the number one most caused way the population is contracting AIDS. A vast majority of those infected with AIDS is “...young women and girls…[living] in South Africa.”(Young People, HIV and AIDS) More than 5,000 girls a week acquires AIDS in South Africa because of frequent sex trade. An abundant number of these sex workers do not use condoms or birth control because they are not provided with it. Unprotected sex infections can predominantly be seen through sex trade throughout the world. The inflation in continued unprotected sex throughout the world causes for more people today to be infected with AIDS. High sex trade units are predominantly found in high impoverished countries, expanding the growth of AIDS throughout the region and increasing rates of poverty. A case study showed that 95% of people who have HIV/AIDS live in poverty. This can be seen all around the world. Many of the factors are weak health infrastructures, lack of education, and the lack of resources needed. High impoverished urban area of the United States with a low annual household income show for the “...greater HIV prevalence rate.”(Gayle). Also, the life expectancy rates in Africa have declined from fifty nine years old to forty five in less than five years. AIDS has been in the world for less than 30 years and has made an astounding epidemic within each country throughout the world. The disease has come with good thing but more bad. With AIDS effecting economy, Human rights, and even life, HIV/AIDS is a huge thing to happen in the world. Since the epidemic began 1,216,917 people have been diagnosed with AIDS. This disease has altered the way we look at diseases seen around the world and how we look at eachother today.