AIDS Cell of the IAMMS
Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine & Sciences is
specifically working on AIDS Awareness.
The AIDS Cell of IAMMS is listed as NGO in the 2002 edition of the GLOBAL AIDS
DIRECTORY, prepared by
Global Health,
Dear Friends,
Here is a survey from AIDS Cell of the Ibn Sina Academy (IAMMS), which is meant especially for youth at the grassroots, but responses from others are welcome. Many thanks and all best wishes,
Dr. Imran Sabri,
Incharge,
AIDS Cell,
Ibn Sina Academy
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There is a bit of a questionnaires (agree / disagree) type document. Please send
it out after completing to the Secretariat of the AIDS Cell, Ibn Sina Academy
(Dodhpur, Aligarh). It’s generally meant for youth "on the ground", however,
anyone that you think of may provide some insight and would be greatly
appreciated!
Thanks!
HIV/AIDS Stigma, Myths, and Misinformation
Please indicate if you agree or disagree with the following statements and provide a short explanation of your reasoning. Thank you!
1. HIV is the same as AIDS.
2. HIV only affects gay men - It's a "gay disease".
3. We both have HIV so we don't need to use a condom during sex.
4. People over the age of 50 don't get HIV.
5. I have HIV. I can't have children.
6. You don't need to use a condom during oral sex.
7. HIV can be cured.
8. I got tested right after I had unprotected sex and I was negative. I'm fine!
9. HIV is scary - the best way to protect myself is to avoid anyone who is HIV+.
10. It is your fault if you get infected - you just have to stop having promiscuous sex and using drugs to not get it.
11. I don't look for feel sick - I can't be infected.
12. HIV/AIDS is only an African problem / only a threat in the developing world, not the USA (Western societies).
13. The best way to control AIDS in the developing world is through prevention. Costly treatment should wait until prevention programs have been fully funded and deployed.
14. AIDS treatment in the developing world is impossible because antiretroviral drugs are too expensive and because developing countries lack the infrastructure necessary to deliver the drugs.
15. An HIV vaccine will soon be available, and this will solve the AIDS crisis.
16. HIV/AIDS Treatment is an invasion of Western medicine / culture.
17. Women can "shed" the HIV infection through their monthly menstruation cycles.
18. You only get the virus if you have "weak blood".
19. HIV is a punishment for moral shortcomings or lack of self-control.
20. If you have HIV and you have sex with a virgin you will be cured.
21. HIV/AIDS is a private matter that should not be discussed in public.
22. Ordinary people can do very little to help in the fight against AIDS.
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EXPLANATIONS
(See the questionnaires)
1. HIV
is the same as AIDS.
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. AIDS is a collection of illnesses that attack the body due to a weakened immune system.
2. HIV only affects gay men - It's a "gay disease".
According to the World Health Organization, 75% of adults who are infected with the virus are heterosexual. Infections among gay men have been on the decline, while infection rates within the minority groups and women have been steadily rising.
3. We both have HIV so we don't' need to use a condom during sex.
Not true. Experts are seeing more and more incidences of re-infection (or "super-infection"). There are several strains of HIV and you can infect your partner with a different strain than they were previously infected with (and vise versa). Also, when HIV is exposed to medication, it can change (mutate) over time - these mutations can cause the medication to be ineffective in treating the virus. If you re-infect someone with this mutated strain of HIV, it makes treatment extremely difficult.
4. People over the age of 50 don't get HIV.
This is not true. Older adults (especially older males) make up a rapidly growing group of infections. Anyone engaging in risky behavior has the chance of becoming infected.
5. I have HIV. I can't have children.
This used to be thought of as true due to the fear of transmitting HIV to the child during birth or through breastfeeding. This is not the case anymore. With the proper precautions taken (before, during, and after birth) and the administering of medication specifically designed to prevent mother-to-child transmission, the risk of infant infection can be reduced from 25% to 2-3%. Women don't need to give up their dreams of having a family.
6. You don't need to use a condom during oral sex.
This is a very dangerous myth. You need to use a condom during any sexual act in which there is an exchange of bodily fluids. Oral, vaginal and anal sex require the use of a condom.
7. HIV can be cured.
There are many claims of miraculous cures, but sadly there is no cure. If you are infected, you can maintain your health for a prolonged period of time through proper nutrition, exercise, a healthy lifestyle, and sticking to your medication regime, but this will not prevent the eventual deterioration of your immune system and acquisition of AIDS.
8. I got tested right after I had unprotected sex and I was negative. I'm fine!
Experts agree that 1 test is not enough. A series of tests should be done to assure that you are HIV negative. It is suggested that you get tested at the time of suspected exposure, 6 weeks afterwards, 3 months later, and then at the 6 month mark. After 6 months if the test comes back negative, you can be sure you are HIV free.
9. HIV is scary - the best way to protect myself is to avoid anyone who is HIV+.
Definitely not! You cannot get HIV through being in contact with the saliva or tears of someone who is infected. You can't get it from hugging or casually kissing someone, sharing a glass or food with an infected person, touching a doorknob or a public toilet seat, or from a mosquito bite. It is not airborne and does not live for a long period of time outside of the body. The only ways you can contract HIV are through direct contact with blood, semen, or vaginal fluid - this is usually through a blood transfusion or an unprotected sexual act, the sharing of needles with someone who is infected - generally associated with drug use, or through the birthing process or breastfeeding – seen with infant infection.
10. It is your fault if you get infected - you just have to stop having promiscuous sex and using drugs to not get it.
This is not at all true. Socioeconomic structures around the world constrain many people's ability to make free choices regarding the behaviors that put them at risk for contracting HIV/AIDS. Economic insecurity, gender and racial inequalities, labor migration, and armed conflict all limit people's ability to avoid exposure to the virus.
11. I don't look or feel sick - I can't be infected!
You can appear and even feel perfectly healthy. The virus slowly breaks down your immune response - it may take years for any physical symptoms to manifest. This is important to keep in mind when it comes to others as well. Just because someone appears fine, doesn't mean that you shouldn't take every precaution to protect yourself.
12. HIV/AIDS is only an African problem / only a threat in the developing world, not the USA or Europe (Western societies).
It is true that there are fewer people infected in the developed world and that the problem of HIV/AIDS is less publicized, but this doesn't mean that it is not a threat! The fact is that when protecting yourself is not made into a big deal, it can act as a risk factor in contracting the virus. It is important to be open about safe sex and not deny responsibility for your own safety wherever you live.
13. The best way to control AIDS in the developing world is through prevention.
Costly treatment should wait until prevention programs have been fully funded and deployed. This is definitely not true. Prevention and treatment should have equal roles in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Although preventing new infections is important, there are already millions of people fighting for their lives every day. We need to address each human life with respect - infected or not. Since wealthy individuals have the chance to prolong and improve their lives with treatment (HAART), it contradicts the principles of equality and human rights to allow tens of millions of others to die without treatment. Prevention and treatment together have a synergistic effect - we need a well-rounded program to fight HIV/AIDS effectively.
14. AIDS treatment in the developing world is impossible because antiretroviral drugs are too expensive and because developing countries lack the infrastructure necessary to deliver the drugs.
Treatment (ARVs) should be a cornerstone in fighting AIDS in the developing world, not something simply for rich businessmen. Treatment for the poor is no longer unaffordable and both generics and cheaper brand names are becoming more readily available. The infrastructure is present. It just needs the support of NGO's and foreign governments to ensure that the programs effectively reach the people both in the urban and rural areas. In the end, the enormous costs of no treatment (both financial and in human life) outweigh the cost of treatment.
15. An HIV vaccine will soon be available, and this will solve the AIDS crisis.
This is not the case. While many advances have been made in vaccine research, significant gaps remain in the scientific knowledge needed to develop an effective vaccine. By the time a vaccine has been developed and fully deployed in the developing world, tens of millions more will have become infected and died of HIV/AIDS if no other steps are taken.
16. HIV/AIDS treatment is an invasion of Western medicine / culture.
Although some traditional practices focus on natural healing, rather than drugs, this does not mean either strategy is wrong. The best plan for treatment is one that encompasses natural healing (plants, herbs, oils, vitamins), Western medicine (Antiretroviral drugs), and care for a patient's mental state (through counseling, support groups, keeping busy within the community). The entire person needs to be treated within his or her own cultural context.
17. Women can "shed" the HIV infection through their monthly menstruation cycles.
This is absolutely untrue. If anything, during this time of the month, women need to take better care of their health because essential vitamins can be lost or used up more quickly (including Iron).
18. You only get the virus if you have "weak blood".
This is a myth. There is no such thing as "weak" or "strong" blood. HIV doesn't attack your blood; it attacks your immune system (your T cells) through your blood. Ideas like this lead to denial and cause carelessness rather than caution, therefore leading to a higher risk of contracting the virus.
19. HIV is a punishment for moral shortcomings or lack of self-control.
HIV can infect anyone!! It only takes one sexual encounter, one act of indiscretion. It has nothing to do with morality or punishment. People who have become infected have fallen victim to a silent killer. It is not just sex workers or drug users who acquire HIV - it is a blind disease that infects wives, young boys and girls, school teachers, famous athletes, wealthy executives, absolutely anyone.
20. If you have HIV and you have sex with a virgin you will be cured.
This is a truly horrible myth about HIV!! Not only does it not provide a cure for the infected person, but also it encourages the sexual abuse and infection of young children!
21. HIV/AIDS is a private matter that should not be discussed in public.
Definitely not! Lack of communication about HIV/AIDS only leads to misinformation, stigma, prejudice, isolation of those who are infected, and an increased risk of infection for everyone else!! People living with HIV/AIDS are productive members of the community, who can offer a lot of insight into the disease and serve as peer educators in prevention programs. Above all, those who are infected need increased support rather than social scorn. It is a devastating diagnosis with widespread effects over the family and community.
22. Ordinary people can do very little to help in the fight against AIDS.
No way!! AIDS activists have accomplished much in the fight, both in the developed and developing world. Looking into the future there are many things that you can do to help: educate yourself and your communities, join larger organizations, raise money, or lobby policymakers (just a few ideas!).
Tijara House, Dodhpur, Aligarh
[www.ibnsinaacademy.org]