Community and Public Health

INTRODUCTION
Few questions to get a discussion started:

While HIV/AIDS differs from Ebola (especially in context of it being the initial
discovery of HIV and issues surrounding the gay community at the time), recently
in the US, a nurse who returned from Sierra Leone got into a fight with the
government which tried to enforce a 30 day quarantine even though she tested
negative for Ebola. What are your thoughts on enforcement of such quarantines?
Would it have been feasible for instance to enforce it on the flight attendant
identified with spreading HIV to at least 40 others?

The media (in a biased American view of course): Way too much attention
has been given to Ebola only AFTER a few Americans were infected and flown back
to receive treatment. What role did media play, and what role does it play now in
disease outbreaks?

Publication bias and the need to be recognized is a plague on health

research. What effect did this have on identifying HIV/AIDS? Have we improved and
what can we do to improve?
A few other topics for discussion:

Closure of the bathhouses.

Spread of the disease through blood transfusions.

Community and Public Health

Morning: Film Showing and Group Discussion

Critical Thinking by Group - And the Band Played On
The people and politics of the AIDS outbreak
Take notes during the movie the following questions are for discussion
1

Why did CDC researchers wear respirators masks when researching the Ebola
outbreak in Africa?
2 Why did they burn the bodies?
3 Recognition of the AIDS epidemic in this country began in the late 70s in SF, LA
and NY. What clues, symptoms and opportunistic diseases were observed during
that period that signaled the start of a new infectious disease? Why did
researchers find these factors baffling?
4 Why was Don Francis asked to join the epidemiology team?
5 The humanity buffs might notice the symbolism throughout the movie. What is
the significance of the following symbolism: the rubics cube? The gay
Halloween parade? Pacman? Arlington cemetery, lack of cell phones, black
dressed man in modern dance scene?
6 Keep track of the death rate (% death vs. number of cases) before the
development of AZT (Azidothymidine/Zidovudine) RETROVIR and protease
inhibitors.
7 Who is Gaten Dugas and why was he labeled as patient 0? Estimated sexual
encounters per year? What are the speculated factors (personality, career) that
contributed to Gatens unique contribution to the AIDS epidemic?
8 List some of the early names for the disease.
9 How did the battle between Robert Gallo and Luc Montigeur play out? Hint: do a
little research on these two
10 Why was it so difficult to identify the virus? Hint: there were multiple
contributing factors
11 Who determines the CDC budget each year? Do some research
12 When doctors start asking like business men, who can the people turn to for
doctors? Explain the significance of this statement.what is the Hippocratic
Oath?

Community and Public Health

AFTERNOON: GROUP REPORTING (DEBATE) AND INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY

HEALTH POLICY AND THE MEDIA
AND THE BAND PLAYED ON
INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY
1.
2.

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Overall impressions of the movie. Favorite moments, characters, least

favorite moments, characters?
How did the personal interests of the various characters and entities affect
the way the early years of the AIDS crisis unfolded? (Personally, politically,
scientifically, socially, economically, etc.)
How did privacy serve as both a benefit and a detriment in the early years of
the AIDS crisis?
What role did stigma play in the movie?
How did the law impede containment of the spread of the disease?
Describe the process of "Shoe-leather Epidemiology" as it was portrayed in
the film.
What role do you feel the opening sequence from Africa played in the movie?
Describe the political ramifications of the CDC's "what do we think, what do
we know, what can we prove" philosophy.
In the 1988 prologue to his book, Randy Shilts wrote the following:
People died and nobody paid attention because the mass media did
not like covering stories about homosexuals and was especially skittish
about stories that involved gay sexuality. Newspapers and television
largely avoided discussion of the disease until the death toll was too
high to ignore and the casualties were no longer just the outcasts.
Without the media to fulfill its role as public guardian, everyone else
was left to deal and not deal with AIDS as they saw fit.
10.
Given our knowledge of the media's treatment of AIDS in the 15 years since
the book was written, how would you assess the media's performance in its "role as
public guardian"?

Community and Public Health

FOR NEXT MEETING ASSIGNEMNT: INDIVIDUAL

Critical Thought Questions (Assignment) - Give responses to the following
questions after reflecting on the movie. Some questions might require additional
research. Written responses are due next class period.
1
2
3
4
5

6
7

8
9

How were homosexuals treated in the 70s

What was the Reagan administrations role in the spread of AIDS? Hint: why
were the early politics of AIDS so complex?
How does the Bush administration mirror the Reagan administration?
What parts of the nature of science did you recognize in the movie? Hint:
there are many
Was it the researchers or other factors that inhibited the early war against AIDS?
Why was it important to put out the fire early? Discuss some of the other
factors and why they were important in the late 70s early 80s.
Once the virus was discovered did things get better for AIDS victims? Explain
Turning a holocaust into an international pissing contest Who besides God
qualifies? How does Dr. Gallo get away with it? How do you spell ego? What
significance did ego have in the story of HIV/AIDS?
Why do you think so many big names in Hollywood accepted roles in this low
budget film?
Do you think the outbreak of AIDS could have been stopped like Ebola? Why or
why not?