User:Radha18150/sandbox

Social Effects of HIV/AIDS

Introduction

It is almost three decades now that HIV has grabbed millions of people worldwide of which many millions have surrendered to the HIV virus and millions of them are leading a difficult life due to the effects of the virus. HIV is a retrovirus which infects the human body (mainly targeting the CD4 cells) causing a weak immune system as a result of which it makes the human body very weak and unable to fight back against the infections. The HIV virus causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and it is transmitted to the human body by unsafe sex, vertical transmission and contaminated needles or blood. In 2014, 2.0 million individuals have been infected newly worldwide as per the WHO and 36.9 million people are living globally with the HIV infection globally reports UNAIDS. Unlike other infections known to mankind this virus have not only bodily affections but has a deep impact on the social aspect, psychological aspect and economic aspect of the human being. But the most important part is that the HIV virus not only impacts the person infected but also has its impact on the society which has steered fear and misunderstandings about the HIV virus.

Social Effects

Stigma & Discrimination

The fear and misunderstandings about the HIV virus has led to stigma and discrimination of the infected people which has made the fight against the epidemic difficult. Stigma is referred as a social fact which is multifaceted having relationship with both social and economic issues along with the psycho social aspect of the infected people. People either infected or associated with HIV/AIDS are devalued in the society. The fact that HIV spreads through unprotected sex, injection drug use which are considered wrong socially and culturally adds up to the stigma related to HIV/AIDS. The HIV infections further leads to AIDS which is a very painful condition making life worse with many opportunistic infections with the final result as death, and this condition is treated as a danger to the society. This stigma forms the base for discrimination which means unfair treatment to the infected people and the people associated with HIV/AIDS. Fear is one of the most important element which is said to cause the stigma and discrimination about the virus. Fear along with misconceptions about the infection makes place in the human mind to create many ideas and thoughts which are irrelevant to the condition. These misconceptions can be anything like interacting with the HIV infected person may infect them to thinking that sitting together on a table or eating together, sharing clothes or even shaking hands with the infected person might infect them. A study was made in 4 countries about the HIV related stigma & discrimination where the first 3 countries were all sub-Saharan African countries and later Vietnam was added as a 4th country in the study where they found that fear along with the preoccupied idea of transmission of HIV from the most unlikely way of transmission even after having the knowledge about the routes of transmission continues to stay on with the people. This study also brings in light that the messages conveyed by the media or the organizations to the people spreading awareness against HIV usually targets on the routes of transmission and not describing that the HIV virus perishes when exposed to air and does not spread via saliva, perspiration, mosquitoes etc. makes people to think and give way for misconceptions that these routes may possible transmit the infection which is adding up to the stigma and later resulting in discrimination. An evaluation was done by some authors came up with a model which describes the stigma related to HIV where they say that stigma fears of a person depends upon the personal beliefs of a person with respect to both the virus and people affected by the virus, what others think/belief’s about the stigma related to the virus, the social support and any kind of experience related with the stigma. These belief’s towards the stigma affects the behavior of the people. The fear of stigma & Discrimination prevents the infected people to disclose their status and makes them devoid of the treatment measures available.

Denial

Stigma & Discrimination damages every aspect of the infected person’s life. It brings isolation and severed relationships in the home & community and damages the respect and right at workplace with denial of many services both publicly and privately. Denial is related to the infected person with regards to the services that they are denied but, Denial on the other hand is also described as a very big setback in the unaffected population with Denial as in not accepting the fact that they are infected or might get infected as their chances of getting infected are high being a part of the high risk population. When the person does not accept or perceive himself being at risk then that person is at high risk of getting infected as this denial obstructs the preventive measures.

Psychological Impact

The positive HIV infection status leaves the person with many issues to tackle at one time since the time it is revealed. Fear of Stigma & Discrimination leads them to be mistreated in the society which leads to negativity, troubled relationships personally and socially. This eventually brings depression, loneliness and many psychiatric issues which the individual has to deal with alone. A study shows that depressive symptoms if persistent for a long period of time in the HIV positive individual it may lead to low immune functioning with speedy advancement to AIDS and death.

Socioeconomic Impact of HIV/AIDS

The socioeconomic impact of HIV/AIDS is seen more in the developing & poor countries. The average age group which is affected by the virus is from 15-45 which is considered as the working age group. The virus not only has the immediate effects on the society but also possesses the power to grind down the social capital of the future. HIV has a comprehensive effect on both the life expectancy of the people and the economic growth of the country. The life expectancy has come down to an undesirable age especially in the sub-Saharan countries as these are badly and highly affected by the HIV virus. Similarly the economic growth of the country is hampered as the infection is seen more in the young people which are most productive at this age. In the countries where the maximum return depends on the agricultural products which requires manpower for getting good produce which will give back good capital is hampered as there is shortage of the manpower. On the domestic ground HIV/AIDS brings down the income of the family and increases the expenditure on medical supports. Another big reason found to the lowering economic rates is unemployment. Unemployment is due to various reasons ranging from the infected people becoming weak and psychologically distressed leading to suicidal attempts, weak body unable to work or death due to AIDS or unemployment straight away being denied from work due to the infected status. It is also found that once the status of infection is revealed it becomes very difficult for the individual to return back to work. The stigma fear breaks down the individual internally and the discrimination makes it more difficult to fight for his right socially and moreover even if the person returns back to work, his working skills are affected both due to medical and psychological reasons.

Discussion

Stigma & Discrimination is said to be the biggest barrier to get effective responses against HIV epidemic and the approach used to tackle this hindrance should be both at individual and social level. But the most important point here is that even if both the elements are crucial, we can get the effective change in the social level only if the change is first seen at the individual level. The interventions used to deal with HIV/AIDS prevention and spreading the awareness are mostly focused at the mass level. The information given sometimes leaves a negative impact on the individual level which creates many misconceptions. So the interventions which would be ideal and effective should be focusing on the individual level with proper set of information which would encourage the people to bring the change within themselves. On the social plane to bring the change and get effective results there should be anti-discrimination laws which would make the infected people feel secure and bring a feeling of their acceptance in the community. It is mostly seen that people do know the facts but still prefer not to believe them, which stands true for HIV infection. HIV virus can only be transmitted through the major 3 routes but still people make way for the misconceptions about its transmission and make way for stigma & discrimination. Using the social cognitive theory we can deal effectively on both social and individual plane to get effective results for the HIV/AIDS patients.