KAITLYN BUTLER

REASERCH
PAPER
HOUSTON ACADEMY FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

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HIV/AIDs the incurable disease that affects thousands of people daily. Although, the
disease is incurable its possible to live with HIV/AIDs if the person is healthy and taking
medicine. HIV can be spread by certain body fluids by someone who is HIV/AIDs positive. It is
mainly spread by sexual activities or sharing equipment that has come in contact with their
blood. If the blood has HIV/AIDs in it then it can be spread to the user. It weakens the immune
system and destroys important cells that keep diseases and bacteria away. One of the common
misconceptions of HIV/AIDs is that its spread by saliva or sweat. Due to the lack of knowledge
presented by society, people are looked down upon by society and struggle daily.
However, there are certain stigmas associated with this disease. People with HIV/AIDs
are troubled with everyday problems that should come easy for a normal person. For example,
people with this disease are in poverty from not having a stable income. Social stigmas keep
people with this disease blocked away from society. Many people with this disease are diagnosed
with depression and other mental illnesses due to being isolated from friends and family. There is
a tremendous amount of people who have lost their lives to HIV/AIDs globally.
At the Catholic Charities HIV/AIDs housing department employees help clients
financially and emotionally. In order to help the community there are various areas where clients
need support and Catholic Charities does their best to help with these difficulties. Some of the
services Catholic Charities provide case management, spiritual support, HIV Education, and
One-time Financial Assistance.
Research was done by looking up articles using the internet and the HCC online library.
Only scholarly articles were used for research. Topics such as social stigmas and financial issues
were used. Since HIV/AIDs is a global issue, essays with different perspectives from
international regions are being used. Scholars such as Glover, Ryan and Wiseman, Alexander W,

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who have traveled abroad to personally view the struggles of this national epidemic in Africa, are
used to find the most useful evidence of the trials and tribulations of living with HIV/AIDs. For
the interviews there are four experts on the issue to comment on the issue. The first 3 people to
interview are three employees working within the HIV/AIDs housing department at Catholic
Charities.
To delve deep into the issue articles with included issues occurring in the workplace.
With further knowledge, there had been a cycle of difficulties present within the lack of
education upon the subject. Most useful research had occurred within the health care institutions.
The World Bank provided serviceable information throughout their website which provided
creditable data and research. After the background basic information was thoroughly developed,
it was necessary to go into to detail information.
There had to have been more to an issue than just facts and statistics. Thus, the research
had begun to get on a personal level. The social aspect of living with HIV/AIDs introduces a
personal issues that resonates with the people affected and their family and friends. Although the
social aspect is one of the issues ignored in this epidemic disease, it is one of the core issues that
lead to financial and psychological issues. Thereafter, research involving finding interviews with
people who had HIV/AIDs with social stigmas occurring in their community. Most of the
scholarly interviews found were in global settings such as Pakistan and Africa. Many scholarly
articles have been done on various countries upon the effects of HIV/AIDs within their countries.
Next, there had needed to be a thorough amount of research done on the link between
lack of education and the disease. After researching, there was an article found with included the
stigmas in education involving the students, teachers and administrators. Research also needed to
be conducted to find the links between poverty and HIV/AIDs. After conducting viable research

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the findings found on poverty linked back to the lack of education found within the community.
To find primary sources the HCC online database was utilized to complete research on the link
between HIV/AIDs and poverty within the dedicated community. There had been a vast amount
of information that would have been viable to the essay. However, only articles found with
global perspectives would be used or information that would be viable to the community of the
HIV/AIDs epidemic.
From the findings of various attempts of research, there was interesting information
found upon HIV/AIDs. The various findings include topics such as poverty, social structures, and
emotional negligence. However, all topics seemed to have intermingle with each other. Lack of
education also plays a part with the epidemic disease. Countries all over the world are facing
similar if not the same issues regarding HIV/AIDs. Based on the different cultures there are
societal stigmas involved in the communities.
HIV/AIDs also have an impact on education. In The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Education
Worldwide by Glover, Ryan and Wiseman, Alexander W., noted that many of the children who
are at risk of not finishing school or have never had the chance to attend school live day-to-day
in communities with high HIV/AIDS infection rates(iv). Lack of education lead to a higher
HIV/AIDs infection rates. Education younger children makes a powerful foundation for the
future. If they are informed they can make better decisions though out their lives. Educating
women has proven to be an effective way to attack the high level of HIV/AIDs in less developed
countries. Due to cultural differences every place has their own issues to deal with in society.
Based on Sub Saharan Africa, there are studies that claim Better educated women are more
likely, in comparison with their peers, to delay marriage and childbearing, have fewer children
and healthier babies, enjoy better earning potential, and have stronger decision making and

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negotiation skills as well as higher self-esteem(Glover 3). Education plays a huge part in the
fight of HIV/AIDs.
However, there are people that are still struggling daily financially and emotionally. Not
only are the people who have the disease affected, but their families are affected by this also.
This epidemic affects the persons physically, mentally, and socially throughout their life. It
becomes more difficult to financially support themselves and family members. People with
HIV/AIDs struggle financially during their lifetime. According to the SAARC Journal of
Tuberculosis, Lung Diseases and HIV/AIDS, many studies have documented the impact on
families and communities, particularly due to the loss of income from both the infected persons
and those who care for them, expenditures on health care and funerals, and loss of future
earnings. The list counties on like a cycle and all of the problems connect to each other based
on the current research. There are just some of the expenditures that HIV/AIDs persons have to
go through.
S. C. Kalichman of the AIDS Journal wrote an article on the social and psychological
risks of having HIV/AIDs relating to behavioral factors. He states Men and women living with
HIV/AIDS who experience difficulty maintaining safer sex practices place their sex partners as
well as themselves at considerable risk for sexually transmitted infections(abstract). It has
become a continuous problem in the community to practice safe sex among HIV/AIDs persons.
In various cases one would contract HIV/AIDs from a person who did communicate responsibly
and contract it from their sexual partner. Thus leading to individuals who unknowingly contract
HIV/AIDs. Which stresses the idea of always practicing safe sex and getting tested regularly at
available clinics.

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Social issues also play a role in living with HIV/AIDs. In the book, The Hidden Cost of
AIDS by Panos Institute Staff, there are various issues introduced involving social aspects of
the situation. In the book HIV/AIDs is referred to as a family issue in some parts of Africa.
The book states furthermore, because HIV infection is transmitted between couples, and to
offspring, there is a strong probability of multiple cases within a household, creating an even
greater burden for its members (46).
The issues has start to become more of an economic and social issue. It affects not only
themselves and the people surrounding them. The studies are based on places such as Africa and
Brazil. It has become more of a problem in family settings. Studies have found that many social
systems which are extremely important in the normality of day-to-day life for the largest
proportion of African people will be challenged, stressed and possibly changed by the epidemic
(45). The cultural index of this society will have an undermining effect upon the disease. The
individuals who bring in the income for the family are the ones who are most likely affected by
the epidemic. In ordinary cases HIV/AIDs is non as the family disease because HIV is passed
down to the children due to the parents having it. Family members are more likely to have it due
to individuals with the disease starting families within the community. This makes it easier for
larges groups to have the disease.
According to The Hidden Cost of AIDs, the effect of HIV/AIDS operates at three
different levels: the individual, the family and the wider society. And in any community, the
greater the number of households affected by a disease such as HIV/AIDS, the greater the strain
on wider social coping systems.(47) The issue is spread on a much larger level when large
families are affected by it by also networking into the community.

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Another global perspective would be HIV/AIDs in Pakistan. One research is done by
Nasir, Jamal Abdul, Imran, Muhammad Zaidi, and Syed Arif Ahmed called HIV/AIDS
Awareness in Pakistan; Binary Logistic Regression Analysis of PDHS. The Journal states that
many researchers have explored the mutual significant transmission risk factors in the major
cities of Pakistan that caused for HIV/AIDS transmission which are inject drug user (IDU)
sexual contacts blood transfusion(1). Basically, HIV/AIDs could be transmitted to users who are
sexually active with a partner who has HIV/AIDs.
However, it can be difficult for people who have HIV/AIDs to openly communicate with
their partner about it. Some may consider it a personal matter but it becomes personal to the
other person if they are sexually active. People must be considerate of exercising safe sex and
practice safe needle usage. Overall, having good self-awareness and responsibility take part of
the issue.
Upon doing research there are unanswered questions found during this research. Such as
how does HIV/AIDs had come into such an endless cycle. Although there are many reports on
how someone with HIV/AIDs there isnt a solution on how someone could find the daily issues
and social stigmas. There are still prejudice issues that people have to deal with and lack of
knowledge upon the issue. The bigger question that can be presented cant be solved with just a
mere campaign or one solution.
It takes a community contribution to fight an epidemic that kills millions of people daily.
Educating the people would help the clear some social stigmas. However, it may not clear all of
them it could clean up common misconceptions that lead to such issues. Involving the
community to help persons with HIV/AIDs instead of shunning them play a huge necessary role
in guidance of the people.

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From this assignment Kaitlyn learned the everyday struggles of people who live with
HIV/AIDs. From the social stigmas and the financial needs persons with HIV/AIDs there are
many trials and tribulations that they face. The daily struggles that are included in living of the
everyday life are without a doubt very difficult. Many people with HIV/AIDs also deal with
mental illnesses because they dont have anyone to rely on and feel a sense of loneliness.
Millions of people dont begin to account for all the lives are lost due to HIV/AIDs. There are
many aspects to this epidemic that go unnoticed. This global issues
This knowledge might help Kaitlyn the future when doing further research or working.
Working in a situation will help to provide proper etiquette when in the work place.
Kaitlyn learned that she was a life-long learner. Doing this research has helped her learn a
valuable lesson. Doing this research opened my eyes globally to issues that I would not have
known about otherwise. This project become personal to her because it an actually ongoing in
problem in the community. However, this is a global issue and each countries have their own
social issues that occur in their respective communities.
What was new for Kaitlyn in this learning process was learning how to deal with
situations where it may be problematic for other people. Knowing more about HIV/AIDs inform
Kaitlyn learned while doing this project that people have unknown difficulties every day.
People have to deal with other looking down upon them or not getting a job from something you
cant change. Dealing with social stigmas every day Imagining waking up one day and your
whole life changes. Having HIV/AIDs changes your entire lifestyle.
After completing this project, Kaitlyn feels like a career in this industry would not only
help people in their everyday life but would make a larger impact on the world. This would be

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very important to her seeing as she wants to make an impact on the world. To have the world
isolate you for something that you have no control over.

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Works Cited
1. Lee, Rachel S., Arlene Kochman, and Kathleen J. Sikkema. "Internalized stigma
among people living with H
2. IV-AIDS." AIDS and Behavior 6.4 (2002): 309-319.
3. Heckman, Timothy G., et al. "Barriers to care among persons living with
HIV/AIDS in urban and rural areas." AIDS care 10.3 (1998): 365-375.
4. "Focus: The Essential Role Of People Living With AIDS." Report On The Global
HIV/AIDS Epidemic: UNAIDS - 2004 (2004): 183-188. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
5. "CHAPTER 4: Social Costs: HIV/AIDS And The Community." Hidden Costs of
AIDS. 45-66. n.p.: Panos London, 1992. Academic Search Complete. Web. 23
Nov. 2015.
6. Jha, Kashi Kant. "Poverty and HIV/AIDS." SAARC Journal of Tuberculosis,
Lung Diseases and HIV/AIDS 11.2 (2015): 0-0.
7. Heckman, Timothy G., et al. "Barriers to care among persons living with
HIV/AIDS in urban and rural areas." AIDS care 10.3 (1998): 365-375.
8. Nasir, Jamal Abdul, Muhammad Imran, and Syed Arif Ahmed Zaidi. "Hiv/Aids
Awareness In Pakistan; Binary Logistic Regression Analysis Of Pdhs-2012-13."
Professional Medical Journal 22.5 (2015): 603-609. Academic Search Complete.
Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
9. Bogart, Laura M., and Sheryl Thorburn. "Are HIV/AIDS conspiracy beliefs a
barrier to HIV prevention among African Americans?." JAIDS Journal of
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 38.2 (2005): 213-218.