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Community Problem Report Assignment: HIV in Africa, Where It All Began

Community Problem Report

HIV In Africa to the United States
Ashley M. Watts
University Of Texas at El Paso

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Community Problem Report Assignment: HIV in Africa, Where It All Began

HIV in Africa is not only a significant community problem in that country, but
also a debate as to if it should be criminalized in United States. The HIV epidemic
actually started in Africa, and made its way to the United States. The background of HIV
is what people need to understand before they criminalize this disease. The best place to
get understanding on this topic is researching where it all began. People fear what they
don't know, and the people that believe that HIV should not be criminalized or be
required to reveal their HIV status stands firmly behind this. On the other hand, there are
those people that don't know anything about HIV. They put people that are sick in jail,
due to lack of understanding. These are the people that believe HIV status should be
revealed , so they can maintain their health and protect their safety and lives. In this
report i will provide info about the background of HIV leading back to Africa, give
information and details on each side of the debate to either reveal HIV status or not to
reveal HIV status, and finally conclude with my opinion on the debate.

HIV stands for the human immunodeficiency virus. The background of this disease is
a deadly background. your life is basically in danger when you have this disease, but
some live long lives. According to Holmes, E. C. (1998). Human immunodeficiency
virus, DNA and statistics. Journal of The Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics In

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Community Problem Report Assignment: HIV in Africa, Where It All Began
Society), 161(2), 199. HIV breaks down your immune system, and keeps your body from
being able to fight viruses, bacteria, and anything else that causes disease. Research says
that HIV did first come from Africa. In fact, it dates back to 1930's before the disease was
found on any other continent. The demographics of HIV in Africa are, female adults that
are under 40 are most affected. 80% of 20 to 24 year old South Africans with HIV are
women. Only about 33% of 25 to 29
year old South Africans with HIV are
men. The numbers are there, and the
research is there. The first case of HIV
was discovered in Africa where a
homosexual male was diagnosed. Since
HIV was discovered in Africa, it has
moved across the nation very rapidly.
The photo shows statistically how many
people are living with HIV in the U.S.

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Community Problem Report Assignment: HIV in Africa, Where It All Began

Since HIV has moved to the USA people have become afraid about their future.
The debate between if people should be required to reveal their HIV status to the public,
or if people's privacy should be protected is still an active debate. The stand point and
views on if people should be required to reveal their HIV status to the public is described
in McCallum, A. (2014). CRIMINALIZING THE TRANSMISSION OF HIV : CONSENT,
DISCLOSURE, AND ONLINE DATING. Utah Law Review, 2014(3), 677-702. it talks
about criminals who transmit HIV purposely. It consists of the reports of all the criminal
HIV transmission cases. It also talks about the laws made for the criminal acts against the
transmission of HIV. It also touches on the online dating for the people suffering from
HIV, and how America is dealing with this epidemic. I could use this scholarly article to
touch on should HIV be revealed to the public based on it being used to harm people.
Some people think that people that have HIV use it as a weapon, and they just want to
know what they are up against. If they knew they could better prepare for the fight. This
is the reason why one side of the debate wants the status of HIV to be revealed. There are
some people who give people HIV on purpose, and for that people want to be protected.

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Community Problem Report Assignment: HIV in Africa, Where It All Began
Horvath, K. J., Weinmeyer, R., & Rosser, S. (2010). Should it be illegal for HIV-positive
persons to have unprotected sex without disclosure? An examination of attitudes among
US men who have sex with men and the impact of state law. AIDS Care, 22(10), 12211228. doi:10.1080/09540121003668078. The article is a study on the HIV predators
having unprotected sex without disclosure of their sickness. It touches on HIV laws from
state to state, Online surveys from same sex males who are sexually active. 65% of the
surveys determined that unprotected same sex intercourse without disclosure should not
be illegal at all. This scholarly article could also be used to touch on HIV being revealed
based on it being harmful to people that do not have it. People want to feel protected.

The other half of the debate is should people's personal privacy be protected, so
they are able to live a normal life. In my research I've learned that some people can get
HIV and be very careful all their lives. They're good people that ended up in bad
situations, and they took that bad situation and just tried to continue to live as much of a
normal life as possible. There was an article Police must pay $60,000 for revealing
waiter's HIV status. (1997). AIDS Policy & Law, 12(7), 6-7. This article is about a police
having to pay $60,000 for revealing waiters HIV status. The person that was revealed of
having HIV lost their job, so he went to court under the HIV privacy lawsuit. In the
settlement the city agreed to training police officers on how HIV is transmitted and
educating them on confidentiality. This is what happens when people's personal privacy
is not confidential. Their quality of life of now ruined because people do not understand
or don't want to understand. There are some good people with this disease that just want

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Community Problem Report Assignment: HIV in Africa, Where It All Began
to get over the horrific event in their lives, and just move on. It's hard to do that if people
keep ridiculing them, bringing up the past, pointing the finger, and playing the blame
game.

In conclusion i feel like people should have their privacy protected. HIPPA states
that It's the law that a persons HIV status will be kept confidential, and any other health
information. I do not think that right should be given up for being sick. it's hard enough
living with a deadly disease, i think people should just be able to live their life in private.
I understand that people actually go out and give people the disease they have. So i get
why people criminalize HIV, but every one should not have to suffer at the hands of
ignorant people. HIV is a disease, a sickness, and right now incurable. The emotional
state when a person finds out they are truly sick is unbearable, and should be recognized.
I feel like their privacy should be protected.

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Community Problem Report Assignment: HIV in Africa, Where It All Began

Reference Page

Holmes, E. C. (1998). Human immunodeficiency virus, DNA and statistics. Journal of

The Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics In Society), 161(2), 199.

McCallum, A. (2014). CRIMINALIZING THE TRANSMISSION OF HIV : CONSENT,

DISCLOSURE, AND ONLINE DATING. Utah Law Review, 2014(3), 677-702.

Horvath, K. J., Weinmeyer, R., & Rosser, S. (2010). Should it be illegal for HIV-positive
persons to have unprotected sex without disclosure? An examination of attitudes among
US men who have sex with men and the impact of state law. AIDS Care, 22(10), 12211228. doi:10.1080/09540121003668078

Police must pay $60,000 for revealing waiter's HIV status. (1997). AIDS Policy & Law,
12(7), 6-7.