Bob, our guest speaker

I honestly don't think that I learned as much as I thought I would about what it is like to live with HIV/AIDS... Bob really stressed the cost of the medication because of the drug companies. He also talked about the disparities between countries, and where the money is being spent. But I was hoping to hear more about if he is ever discriminated against for being HIV positive. I wanted to hear him talk about the day he was diagnosed, being told that he only had a short amount of time left. I think that would be the most life changing part: the actual diagnosis.

Bob is the sort of stereotypical HIV positive person in the US - it is in this way that his experience is similar to other HIV positive people. When HIV first appeared in the US, it was mainly in gay men. Now, HIV is not a gay disease, but many people thought it was. I don't mean to sound like an awful person, but it just seems like he would not be the ideal person to talk about HIV just because of the pre-existing stereotype. It's not a stereotype I think is true, but from my perspective, it would have been more interesting, or perhaps even more influential hadn't he gotten HIV not from being ridiculously promiscuous. It just seems like it was his choice that he took part in such high risk behaviors. And it was. But his nonchalance with which he talked about how promiscuous he was sort of shocked me. But this could just be the sheltered part of me talking...

Anywhoo, back on track...

His experience is very different from the majority of HIV positive people. He was able to go to a doctor, get diagnosed, and is now successfully taking ARVs. In sub-Saharan Africa, a majority of HIV positive people are not even diagnosed because of the stigma of even getting tested for the disease, as well as lack of access to medical facilities. Even a smaller percentage then get one and stay on ARV prescriptions.

In rural regions, the main mode of HIV transmission is unprotected heterosexual intercourse. There are many social factors that limit prevention from this route of transmission. Rural areas tend to be more religious, and some religions, such as Catholicism, disapprove of any form of birth control - such as condoms. Furthermore there is less education in prevention techniques. Or the education is abstinence only - like Texas. This is a huge mistake. Young adults are going to have sex, so we might as well make sure they are educated about it instead of just telling them not to.

Living in a rural region makes HIV treatment difficult due to lack of access to medical facilities. The nearest hospital may be 50 miles away. Furthermore, the treatment for HIV is very expensive, and some one from a rural area who is maybe a farmer or something, might not be able to afford treatment. Then there's also just the ever present stigma of having HIV that might even prevent testing for it in the first place.