Hannahrose7's Weblog

Hope For a Cure

hannahrose7 — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:37:20 +0000

So the epidemic rages on against HIV/AIDS in China. However, I would like to take the time to, on this final post, to talk about one of the positive advancements that is being made against AIDS. I found this ray of hope for the AIDS epidemic after listening to an NPR ‘Talk of the Nation Show” called tracking HIV/AIDS in China. The researchers on the show talked much about their testing of a new vaccine and their use of the unique AIDS situation landscape in China being the ideal place to test it. By giving some people placebo pills and other people the vaccine and then tracking the spread of AIDS with these people they hope that they will be closer than ever to finding the cure for AIDS. Although I couldn’t find any follow up information about this vaccine, I was very surprise and excited to hear that there has been that much progress in the medical field against AIDS. I sincerely hope it will only be a matter of time, before the treat of AIDS is eliminated. A link to the full version of the talk show can be found at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5156254

Lights-Camera-ACTION

hannahrose7 — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:36:04 +0000

Guide to Action: What you can do right now to help…

I have just completed the section “Guide to Action.” In this section I have included five realistic ways that the everyday person can get involved with the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in China. The ways to get involved range from places to donate, creative ways to raise funds, and sites that have information that should be read to better educate themselves about the situation. Check it out and give it a try!

To Tell or Not to Tell

hannahrose7 — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:17:22 +0000

I found the article from the aidsportal site from October 25 by Anne Babcock to be very interesting and edifying towards my topic. The main idea of the article was about who should be alerted first when a patient is found to be positive for HIV/AIDS. Currently there is some debate whether the patient or the family should be told first. Now, for the majority of cases, the family is alerted first. I however don’t believe this is the best option in the majority of situations. It should be the person affected with AIDS decision to tell his or her family about their illness. In addition, with all the stigmas about AIDS in many areas of China, I feel that by telling family before the patient can cause many more problems than solutions.

http://www.aidsportal.org/Article_Details.aspx?id=6131&nex=88

China Road

hannahrose7 — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 05:52:38 +0000

I have been reading a book for the past several weeks written by NPR correspondent Rob Gifford called “China Road.” In this documentary/travel book Gifford talks much about the rapid change and development he has seen and experienced during his time in China. In one chapter of the book, he goes into great detail about his visit to Shangcai in Henan province the infamous site where thousands of Chinese were infected with AIDS after donating plasma for cash. Going undercover with Hu Jia, a human rights activist, Gifford gives readers a different and shocking view of AIDS in China. Shangcai is just one of the many villages in China almost completely overrun by the disease. He says that for people from Shangcai it is almost impossible to find work, medical care is lacking, and government oppression has cause many untimely deaths for AIDS victims. Between the dilapidated buildings in the back of his taxi cab, Gifford notes of the sign he sees mocking the AIDS victims in the cruel reality of Shangcai Henan, “Yi Ren Wei Ben, Put the People First.”This inequality and mistreatment exposed in this book to me is what got me interested in the topic of AIDS in China in the first place. It angers me to know that situations like this occur everyday and virtually nothing is ever done about it.

An Ancient Profession

hannahrose7 — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 05:24:05 +0000

Although the article was not specifically cited as related to the AIDS epidemic in China, I found the article about the growing trend of female prostitution to be both saddening and relevant to my topic. The article notes that today China is seeing a reemergence of the ‘ancient profession’ in nearly every level of society and location of China ranging from highly priced women in fancy city hotel rooms, to rural salons and karaoke bars. The trend of women selling their bodies is now even prevalent in colleges and residential communities. With this said, I feel that not only is it sad that many women feel they need to resort to this in order to make ends meet, but I feel that many women are not aware of the extreme danger that surrounds prostitution. I feel that this reemergence of the sex market will only spur on the snowballing effect of the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus. Hopefully with better sexual education and better opportunities for women in profession that do not involve selling their bodies, can the progression of AIDS be slowed and hopefully, eventually, fully stopped.

Information?

hannahrose7 — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 05:07:37 +0000

In my research on AIDS in China I was at times very shocked by the limited information I found. Although I was able to find many statistics and organizations that provide information, aid, and research on AIDS specifically in China such as AvertAIDS and WHO, I found very little information about the actual people who suffer from the disease. It is hard to get past the number and general statistics in order to find the stories of the people who live with this terrible illness. In addition, the lack of current information such as specific action that is currently being taken is very scarce. I would love to see more information about how the people live in the conditions that AIDS presses on them.

Translating AIDS Knowledge

hannahrose7 — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 03:23:45 +0000

This article posted on an UNAIDS website I found to be very interesting and a good way to get involved in the fight against AIDS. The article brings up the valid point that people naturally understand things better when it is carefully translated into their own languages. This applies more specifically the information on AIDS treatment and prevention. The article talks mainly about the success that the translation group, Faculty of Translation and Documentation of the University of Salamanca has had in translating AIDS information into Spanish. In addition, to providing Spanish speaking people with information in their native language, the program is good for translating students to improve their skills. I’m not sure if currently there is a program for translating this information into Mandarin Chinese or Cantonese however I feel that it would be of great benefit if there were.

http://www.unaids.org/en/MediaCentre/PressMaterials/FeatureStory/20071031_Translating_AIDS_knowledge.asp

Living With AIDS in China; Thomas’ Story

hannahrose7 — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 02:29:42 +0000

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/aids/past/livechina.html

This article taken from a PBS special about the current world of AIDS provides a scary yet insightful view on the treatment of people living with AIDS within China’s communist borders. The man interviewed, who prefers to go by the pseudo name Thomas refused to show his face in order to hide his true identity. This is because of the commonly shared stigma in China that AIDS victims are ‘bad people.’ In addition, Thomas states that he is lucky to still have family and friends who support him through his disease. Lastly, the report goes into great detail about the new kinds of AID that is becoming available to people living with AIDS in China. For example, now in some provinces if a victim’s CD4’s score is below a certain number free care or reduced care can be available. For Thomas care several years ago was over $1000 per month, yet with his father’s support and minimal government aid, he has been able to get the necessary care he needs. I was very interested to read about the stigma of AIDS in China that was presented in this article. I feel that it is very detrimental to the progression of AIDS research and prevention for people to have such attitudes as “people with AIDS are generally bad people.” On of the most important things a victim of AIDS needs besides medical care is the love and support of his or her family and friends. When people are denied this, I feel it is much easier to give up and therefore succumb to the disease. It then should be partially the Chinese government’s concern to help start the hard battle to erase these preconceived stigmas from the population’s minds for the good of the victims and for a better understand of the real facts of AIDS.

Comments, Comments, Comments

hannahrose7 — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 01:55:23 +0000

Today I left the following three hopefully insightful comments on my peers Web-blogs. Everyone’s topics were very interesting and the information they provided seemed to be accurate and insightful.

Jackie Brooks: Darfur is Dying: Hey Jackie I’m glad you found this game in your research on Darfur. I recently had to do a small project concerning the game and its effectiveness, or non effectiveness, in my International studies class. Although I found the game to be informational and a good way to call attention to the issue; at the same time I couldn’t get over the obvious video game ‘interactive’ fun aspect of the game. However, I hope the game accomplishes its goal and doesn’t dull the reality of what is occurring with the genocide.

Leah Myhre: Oil Production

The New York Times article from October 8 I found to be very interesting. It really show’s our world’s dependence on oil and they way we will do nearly anything and compromise nature in order to meet our consumption needs. I feel that much more needs to be done in order to cut back our dependency on oil. It is only a matter of time before we back ourselves into an ‘oil corner’ so to speak with no means of escape. However, I feel that the world won’t change its view on oil production unless global corporation is present and people start to look past the politics of oil.

Hilary Gaiser: Pollution-Global Warming-and Climate Change:

Hey Hilary! I’m glad you included this information on China in your research. As a person who has spent even a small amount of time in China, I can certainly attest to the horrendous pollution problems the country is currently facing. Walking around Beijing literally can make your lungs hurt for clean air, and I saw rivers that were completely and unnaturally green flowing through the city center. That said, I’m not surprised to learn that cancer caused by pollution is now China’s leading cause of death. I hope that for China’s sake and the health of its citizens that something can be done to slow the effects of the pollution.