Might sound crazy, but it ain't no lie, baby bye bye BYE!!!

Yay! It's almost time to end this semester, and for me, end my schooling!!! (At least until I decide if I want a masters...gulp). For the rest of the ladies that still have a few more semesters ahead of you, good luck! But for those of us about to graduate, woo hoooooo!
Ok, I'm trying to contain my excitement here. I'm going camping in two days, and I'm pretty excited about that as well! This has been a very productive semester for me and I'm ready to relax. So we are finally in the home stretch and I'm trying to keep it together at least through finals.

This week's QOTW was intriguing as the situation had happened to me many moons ago. I worked at a DME/homecare company and I had to pick up patients' sharps containers. One of the patients had thrown his needles in a red bag instead of the sharps container and it jabbed me in the leg. Very low risk of exposure, but the physician who gave us recommendations for our company suggested I go on PEP. I ended up taking AZT for a little over two months, not one month like the CDC recommends today. Luckily I wasn't infected, but the AZT didn't sit well with me either. I no longer work in high-risk situations, but I think about this if I ever get back into the clinical side of a physician's office.

Did You Know?

The ACLU AIDS Project issued an interesting report back in 2003 about HIV/AIDS discrimination, and how this affected the gay population. While 2003 seems like forever ago, and in many ways it is, it really is just a blip in our HIV history. After extensive research and interviews with ASO's and communities as a whole, it was determined that HIV discrimination was still alive and well, especially in the rural areas.

It was reported that in rural areas many people still thought you could get infected with HIV by casual contact. There was also a church in the Florida Panhandle that the congregation would ask HIV positive parishoners to leave the church. It was also still considered a "gay disease" in many of the rural areas. It got to the point that many didn't want to come out for fear of being banished from their own communities.

This was 2003, not the 80's!! It's hard to swallow that this kind of thinking was happening in America. Unfortunately, it still does. While each year the acceptance grows, there are still little nooks and crannies of unforgiveable discrimination within our own country. Now that we've taken this class, hopefully those that weren't aware about how HIV was transmitted can educate those that aren't aware. I have a special place in my heart for the gay community and I will use my knowledge about HIV disease to stand up for them and correct anyone that stands in the way of the truth. It is my hope that in my lifetime these nooks and crannies will all disappear...

www.aclu.org/FilesPDFs/HIVCivilrights.pdf

Medication Management

Graduation is almost here! Well, at least for some of us! I don't think I'm going to walk...it's on a Friday, and I'd much rather use a day off for the beach or camping than hanging out in a crowded arena for a few hours. I'm actually scheduled to work that day, but I think my boss will let me off early to blow off some steam...he's the one that paid for my education, after all!

With the M & M simulation come and gone, I must say I was surprised to see how many times I missed a dose and/or forgot a particular pill altogether. With working with HIV patients in the past, I never really felt their frustrations with keeping a strict medication schedule. I used to think it was easy. And this was before the invention of cellphones, which we could program to remind us! I would think, "just write it down!" I now see that it isn't that easy. Not to mention the dietary restrictions that go along with it. I am happy that I don't have to deal with something like that on a day to day basis, but it makes me feel bad for our patients and my friends that do.

Did You Know?

I really wanted to change my "Did You Know" title to "What the..." after reading this story. A basketball day camp in Rockland county was found guilty of discriminating against an HIV positive boy who wanted to attend their camp in 2004. The director of the camp denied the boy's admission due to his HIV status. According to the article, his status was disclosed by his mother during the admission process. The camp nurse had raised the question to the camp pediatrician on what the transmission risk would be. The Director in turn denied the boy admission.

There's a couple of statements here that make me want to smack my head against the desk a few times. The NURSE, whom I assume is a degreed nurse, asked the PEDIATRICIAN, whom I can only assume is a degreed and licensed physician, what the trasmission risk was, and between these two brainiacs they determined that the risk was sufficient enough to deny this boy admission. What nursing school/medical school did they attend? Are these medical professionals for real?

I often wonder what the medical community thinks when reading things like this. If a medical professional is stating there is a major risk, they could be spreading this kind of misinformation to the masses through the patients they treat. It's no wonder people are still roaming the United States thinking we can get AIDS from the toilet or a drinking fountain!

Would this boy be playing basketball with youths and have to have sex with them? No. Would this boy be playing basketball with youths and share dirty needles with them? Doubtful. It's justice that the camp was found guilty in violating state and federal discrimination laws, but what about the health practitioners in this case? Business as usual? It just makes me cringe.

www.thebody.com/content/legal/art55363.html

Who would you tell if you had HIV?

This week's QOTW focused on who would we tell if we were HIV positive. Being diagnosed with HIV would be devastating enough, but I can't imagine if I were shunned by family and/or friends after disclosing my status. In reading my fellow classmates' posts, I wonder if their families would be as supportive as they think. And I'm not talking about the posts for this QOTW.

Some of the answers I've been reading in response to these situations that have been given to us have been a little close minded. I don't disrespect anyone's family situation or opinion, because it is just that. But if we are close minded to the idea of being around or helping someone who is HIV positive, how do you think our friends, family, and children are going to react? I would imagine much in the same way.

I treat everyone in the same manner that I expect to be treated. That is with love, respect, and an open mind. And that's why even when it comes to close minded people, I have to be open minded. You never know when there is another learning opportunity, and every person, place, and thing I come into contact with in this life is a mini lesson to be learned.

Did You Know?

Scientists have developed an HIV Stigma Scale to determine top reason why one would not disclose their status to others. In 2006 researchers embarked on a study to determine reasons for disclosure and more importantly, reasons for non-disclosure in HIV positive women. The study was specifically targeting women and their disclosure/non-disclosure habits with their children.

Reasons for non-disclosure included allowing the child to have a "carefree childhood," afraid of the stress it would put on oneself and the child, and fear of the child telling others and being exposed to HIV stigma. Not surprisingly, those mothers that had already reported facing HIV stigma were less likely to tell their children about their HIV status. While this study didn't prove conclusively that stigma plays a huge role in our disclosure habits, it showed that it does have an impact. It also referenced a study that stated the contrary, in that stigma does have a major impact and how we steer our disclosure decisions.

What kind of world do we live in when we can't even share what would most likely be the most devastating news to our children? And the reason why we can't disclose this information is fear of how people on the outside would think of us? We should learn to love and honor our family and those closest to us, and live and let live with the rest. I know it's easier said than done, but focusing on other's reactions will not help one's cause. We can only positively use what is at our disposal: our friends and family that will support us. The rest is just a negative mark on our emotional support system.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1381980/

Holy Moses, Missing Doses!

I'm in the middle of my M & M Simulation and I have to say...it's hard to keep up! I hope that we are graded on the content of our paper and not the accuracy in how we take the "pills" because I've already missed a couple of doses. It's hard to keep up with the regimen. Granted, it's only a week, and my "first week" at that, but it just goes to show how difficult just the dosing regimen is. I can't even imagine factoring in actual side effects of the meds and dealing with HIV itself.

These exercises do much to let us have a minor glimse into what it's like in the day to day routine of someone battling this disease. Hopefully we as students will take this exercise to heart and try to stop the spread of HIV. It starts with us.

Did You Know?

The National AIDS Trust reported earlier this year that legislation is moving forward for the elimination of pre-employment health questionnaires in the United Kingdom. This could do wonders at eliminating workplace HIV discrimination at the onset. Previously employers were allowed to ask health related questions, even if it didn't have anything to do with the job.

Apparently this addition to the Equality Bill has support from all parties. I imagine that many HIV positive individuals can breathe a sigh of relief at the momentum this addition to the bill has. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed and watch this piece of legislation.

www.nat.org.uk/News-and-Media/Press-Releases/2010/January/Pre-employment-health-questionnaires.aspx

Back in the swing of things...

Well, spring break has come and gone. It was a nice break from my studies, but of course my boss was lost on the meaning of spring break and I had to work every day last week. Hmmph! I am excited that spring training has begun for my beloved Yankees and that the weather is *somewhat* getting warmer...even if it isn't consistent.

I had another "class crossover" moment this week. In my Community Healthcare text it stated that "...it is estimated that up to half of all new HIV infections occurring in the United States are found in people under the age of 25." It goes on to declare how alcohol and drug abuse are contributing factors in health problems of younger persons, as well. I know that these two may very well go hand in hand. We all know that we can lose our inhibitions when under the influence of alcohol and drugs, which can then lead us to not protect ourselves.

At football games I have attended in the past (at UCF and other college campuses) I have seen young adults consuming large quantities of alcohol in a short amount of time. It happens, it's college. Can we all just stop and think about the amount of alcohol that is going into our bodies and how we can safely end up home in our beds instead of next to some icky dragon breath guy (or girl!) in the morning? This specific example has never happened to me, but I've been in certain situations in my young adult years that I look back and cringe about. If you're going to drink that much, make sure you are with a sober friend who will help you get back home and not go off into the night making idiotic decisions.

An Introduction to Community Health, 6th edition

Did you Know?

If you didn't go to the Womens Infected Panel you may have missed the POZ magazine handout we received. The cover story of the December issue of POZ magazine detailed HIV discrimination and stigma. The article posted the results of a survey that asked what people thought about HIV/AIDS.

Sprinkled throughout the article were personal stories about stigma people had faced, including a person whose doctor came out in a hazmat suit for his/her office visit! Stigma and discrimination with the general public due to ignorance and lack of education is one thing; to have this done to you by your own physician is another. I can't imagine how this person must have felt... in a medical office with a supposedly educated person nonetheless. It never ceases to amaze me how fear can really drive a person to stupidity, in my opinion.

One of the pictures in the magazine showed a young black man with the t-shirt "Got AIDS?" printed on it. Someone from this class (and possibly from my blogging group) had mentioned this t-shirt campaign previously. I think it is very "in your face" and sends a strong message to others reading it. As a side note, this person's name is Anthony Bolden and we have now become Facebook friends. He does HIV education and awareness through his Facebook to help others become more aware and less fearful about HIV disease. Ah, social networking at its finest!

www. POZ.com

Eazy-E and Freddie Mercury

Eazy-E, born Eric Wright, was an American rap star and formerly a member of NWA. He was known for his truthful lyrics and blatant honesty about the neighborhood and city he grew up in, Compton. Despite his name, life for him wasn't easy. He sold drugs when he was younger and engaged in the fast lifestyle of a gangbanger. He dropped out of high school but later earned his GED. He was an associate of the Crips gang. In later life he became a member of the highly influential group NWA. I won't say what NWA stands for, but if you grew up in the 80's, I'm sure you already know. NWA disbanded around the time (1991) that he was accused of stealing money from the group.

Life after NWA showed mild success. He had some solo contributions between 1991 and 1994. In March of 1995 he was admitted to the hospital with flu like symptoms. He was immediately diagnosed with AIDS. He came out publicly with his diagnosis while in the hospital. About his diagnosis, he said "I'm not looking to blame anyone but myself." He died on March 26, 1995, ten days after his diagnosis. Eazy-E was one of the first straight rap singers that publicly acknowledged the AIDS crisis and is instrumental in helping kids in the 'hood realize that not everyone who is infected with HIV/AIDS is a gay white man.

Freddie Mercury was the lead singer of the rock opera group Queen. Queen can be heard at any football game today with hits such as "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions". Freddie was private about his homosexuality to his fans and the public, but it was widely known amongst his circle of friends that he was gay. His performances were always very dramatic and flamboyant, to say the least. There is a statue of him in Switzerland standing in a rock star pose. I hope to visit it one day.

Freddie was diagnosed with HIV in the spring of 1987. This information was withheld from the public. One can only assume that he didn't disclose his status for fear of discrimination. He died on November 24, 1991, from complications of pneumonia resulting from AIDS. He had only made a public statement about his status to his fans one day prior. The remaining members of Queen have established the Mercury Phoenix Trust, which has raised millions of dollars for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

http://www.eazy-e.com/

http://www.fyne.co.uk/

Did you know?

Is there a fine line between HIV discrimination and a dangerous position? In 2009 an HIV positive Green beret that was to work protecting diplomats in Haiti sued the State Department because he was removed from training. His job would consist of throwing himself in the front of bullets and protecting high end foreign diplomats. The security firm that he worked for stated in the contract that workers are not to have any communicable diseases.

Federal law states that we must "promote employment for those with disabilities, but it is not intended to do so at the risk of their own health or the safety of others" (Davidson, 2009). I like to think that I am firmly against HIV discrimination in the workplace, but this case has me thinking. There could be a lot of bloodshed when the bullets are flying. The risk of the worker and the person he is protecting of both having open wounds is quite high. This case is different than other work scenarios that I have presented, where the risk is minimal.

What do you think? I thought I was on the fence with this one, but I think common sense states that job requirements for a position that could have a high risk of transmission, such as this one, should be carefully considered when determining if discrimination exists or not.

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/27/AR2009012703503.html

Class crossover

I'm currently taking Community Health with Teach along with this course. I read a very disturbing statistic in my text that I wanted to share. It stated, "...31% of teenage girls get pregnant at least once before they reach age 20" (McKenzie, Pinger, & Kotecki). The inital thought of this statistic shocked me, and then it got me thinking: If almost one in three girls become pregnant before the age of 20, can I make the assumption that one in three girls are probably not using protection? Sure, some of those pregnancies can be attributed to a torn condom or a pregnancy on the pill. But I suspect that the majority of those pregnancies resulted from not using protection. And if this many teens (and yes, I consider a 20 year old a teen) are not using protection, where is the sex ed in our high schools?

This week's QOTW was about helping an injured person who had HIV. I look forward to reading the answers from my fellow classmates. I wouldn't have a problem helping an HIV positive individual, even if they were profusely bleeding. I hope many of my classmates feel the same way.

Now if any teens end up on this blog for some reason, could you please read that statistic again? And run to Walgreen's and get some protection? The youth out there is scaring me.

"An Introduction to Community Health" by McKenzie, J., Pinger, R., and Kotecki J.

Did you know?

Africa is no doubt the place most in peril when it comes to HIV. Global efforts always seem to focus on Africa, and with good reason. The numbers of those suffering with HIV in Africa are staggering and there is still antiquated thinking that poses an obstacle to becoming fully educated about the disease. Despite the best efforts, however, part of that antiquated thinking comes up in the form of gay discrmination.

In 2007, Reuters reported that many gay Africans are faced with teasing and are ridiculed when they try to seek treatment for HIV. HIV is still considered pretty taboo in Africa, even with the prevalent numbers. Being openly gay is also criminalized in Africa. Combine that with gay discrimination and you now have a formula for disaster. This creates a population that is probably not going to seek treatment out of fear, embarrassment, or possible estrangement from their family and/or loved ones.

"Homophobic stigma, the denial of homosexuality, and legislation that criminalizes same-sex behavior, all serve to push the issue of same sex HIV transmission further underground, and drastically limit HIV services" (reuters.com).

Of all the places I can think of that doesn't need discrimination based on HIV, it is Africa. While I doubt it will happen anytime soon, Africa would be better off looking at the health of their people and not worrying about their private sexual practices. Once again, only through accurate and consistent education can we beat this disease.

www.reuters.com/article/idUSL0159088020070301