AIDS pandemic in the US
QUESTION
Please watch the film, And the Band Played On. This film may be available on the Internet through free sites such as Youtube and Vimeo
Movie: And the Band Played On (1993), Roger Spottiswoode (Director). Depicts how the CDC discovered how HIV was being transmitted. The film is both entertaining and educational, and it depicts the principles of epidemiology, human behavior, and society’s view of controversial topics.
What factors inhibited the early war against acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)? Do you believe the AIDS outbreak could have been stopped? Why or why not? What role does advocacy play in the film? How much publicity does HIV/AIDS receive today? What’s the story of HIV/AIDS in the 21st century? Explain.
ANSWER
Summary: Week 8
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Summary: Week 8
The film ‘And the Band played On’ portrays the initial years of the AIDS pandemic in the US. Don Francis illustrates an advocacy role in discovering AIDS, but he faces opposition from doctors and politicians, thus making his role hard. The doctor joined the Centers for Disease (CDC) to help comprehend what AIDS entails and began researching the outbreak of the epidemic and named it AIDS. The war against AIDS has faced many challenges, and one of the critical issues is stigma (Darrow, 2017). Social stigma inhibited fighting the disease as people with AIDS was different from those without making them fear to speak out. During that time, people’s notion of homosexuality was negative, unlike today. In my opinion, the disease outbreak during that period could not be stopped. It could be easy to have prevention measures on AIDS to save lives but stopping the outbreak could be problematic. This is because a lack of knowledge and resources could help people understand the epidemic and its effects on people’s lives.
Comparing the past and today shows that HIV/AIDS is not considered a devastating ailment, and stigma has reduced as people know how to deal with the disease and understand what the condition entails. The epidemic is viewed as a preventive condition by educating the people and using different resources to teach society (Groth, Ruggles & Ellison, 2021). Nowadays, unlike in the past, many healthcare practitioners are well-versed with the disease. In this case, they can offer assistance, including guidance, counseling, and medication. They can help them live the condition hence changing the notion of the society. Prescriptions have also increased and evolved, and more research is being done to improve HIV/AIDS treatment development.
References
Darrow, W. W. (2017). And the band played on: Before and after. AIDS and Behavior, 21(10), 2799-2806.
Groth, J., Ruggles, D., & Ellison, J. (2021). Sizing Up Hearing Aids in the 21st Century: Is There Still Room for Improvement. Retrieved January, 6, 2020.