HIV/AIDS Among the Young Black Women
Michelle Njiva
University of Arizona
CHS 401: Health Disparities in Society
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HIV/AIDS Among the Young Black Women
The paper addresses the problem of high HIV/AIDS infection among the young black women population. The paper is based on the reasons why there are high HIV infections among the marginalized population, for instance, unfavorable socioeconomic factors. In addition, the paper focus on the ways of solving the problem, for instance, empowering the affected population. The thesis of the paper is the: primary cause of high HIV/AIDS infection to the young black women is due to the social and historical they faced, whereby through appropriate measures the problem can be addressed.
Introduction
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a type of virus that lowers the immune system through the destruction or lowering the immune in the body. HIV may take a period of between 10-15 years before it advances to the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV/AIDS is one of the health challenges that the United States is facing, whereby there is approximately 1.1 Americans infected by the disease. The African American, despite being a minority in the country account for 50% of the total American with the HIV/AIDS. In addition, among the African American, the young women between the age of 18-35 are the most affected. Currently, about 60% of women with HIV/AIDS consists the black women aged between 18-35. As a result, this is one of the major problems the marginalized race in the country is facing. The primary cause of high HIV/AIDS infection to the young black women is due to the social and historical they faced, whereby through appropriate measures the problem can be addressed.
Description of the Problem
The social economic disparity is one of that enhances the problem of high HIV/AIDS infection among young female black Americans. At first, poverty contributes to the problem. In addition, according to Watkins-Hayes, (2010: 34), 24% of black Americans live below the poverty line as compared to the 8% of whites. As a result, young Americans faces the challenges of necessities such as nutritious food, clothing, housing, and healthcare. As a result, most of them consider sex as the only way of attaining their basics. For instance, many young black women even at high school engage in prostitution, whereby chances of contracting HIV are high (McCree, Jones, & O’Leary, 2010: 46). In addition, most of the young black women look for older men to provide for their basics in exchange for sex. In this case, there are chances of the older men to be HIV positive. Therefore, the young women will trust their experience, therefore they would not insist the older men to use protection, thus their chances of being infected with the ailment are high. In addition, young black women have a habit of looking for many sexual partners to provide their various basic needs. Young black women chances of having more than one sex partner than their white is 16% as compared to 10% (Watkins-Hayes, 2010: 39).
Racism which is a historical injustice in the United States even before the independence is one of the factors that contributes high HIV infection among the young black women. For instance, there have been many conspiracies about HIV/AIDS that make it difficult to fight disease among the young black women. For instance, for decades there has been a conspiracy that HIV was manufactured in the government lab to reduce the population of blacks in the country (Braithwaite, Taylor, & Treadwell, 2009: 76). Secondly, there have been a conspiracy that the federal government has been withholding the cure for HIV/AIDS to eliminate the blacks in the United States (Braithwaite, Taylor, & Treadwell, 2009: 77). As a result, the black population in the country does not believe that healthcare systems in the country that can combat HIV/AIDS in the country. Therefore, most of them do not consider visiting healthcare facilities when they are infected with the ailment. In addition, most of the blacks do not believe that condoms can protect them against HIV/AIDS (Stone, 2009: 66).
Due to the challenges that young black women undergo, most of them consider drugs as the only way to relieve their problem, however, drugs increase their chances of being infected by HIV/AIDS. For instance, most of them consume black girls take drugs such as cocaine and heroin through injection (Stone, 2009: 77). In most of the cases, they share syringes whereby most of them are infected by the virus during the process (DiClemente, & Peterson, 1994: 77). In addition, due to depression, most of the black women consume a lot of alcohol. Alcohol impairs judgment. As a result, there are high chances of engaging in reckless sex, for instance, without protection or with many factors (DiClemente, & Peterson, 1994: 101).
Explanation of the Problem Basing on the Causality Theory
One of the effects of HIV/AIDS problem for young black women are the negative economic impacts. At first, the treatment of HIV/AIDS is costly in the United States whereby it costs more than $36000 annually (Halkitis, 2014: 23). In this case, most of the young black women are poor, whereby most of them depend on the government Medicaid cover. Medicaid is not enough to cover the treatment of HIV/AIDS; therefore, most of them do not have adequate healthcare (Imperato, 1989: 22). In addition, most of them become unproductive in their workplaces. As a result, most of them lose their jobs; therefore, it becomes difficult to provide for their children (Halkitis, 2014: 26). Thus, their children will end up without basics needs such as food.
HIV/AIDS leads to social stigma. For instance, for many years there has been prejudice and abuse for the people infected with the virus. A good example, in this case, is in schools and workplaces whereby the infected are shunned by their friends and colleagues (Braithwaite, Taylor, & Treadwell, 2009: 79). In addition, there has been a belief that HIV/AIDS is a punishment for infidelity, homosexuality and prostitution (Braithwaite, Taylor, & Treadwell, 2009: 81). Therefore, victims of HIV feel that the society has segregated them, which makes them suffer more and more (Imperato, 1989: 29).
The virus also affects the family relationship. For instance, let say the young black woman is married and the husband is not infected with the ailment. In this case, the husband will have the perception that their partner was unfaithful; therefore, there are high chances that the family will break up (Mays et.al, 2014: 77). On the other hand, children would be affected in several ways. At first, they would suffer from psychological stress because their parents cannot provide for them (Mays et.al, 2014: 79). In addition, children would suffer from disorders such as attention and depression (Braithwaite, Taylor, & Treadwell, 2009: 89).
Addressing the HIV/AIDS Problem
One of the best ways of addressing the HIV/AIDS problem among the young black girls is through educating them about the menace. Most of the young ladies do not have adequate information concerning the ailment (McCree, Jones, & O’Leary, 2010: 55) Therefore, various stakeholders, for instance, government, learning institutions should invest a lot in educating the endangered young population, for instance, through media and seminars. In this case, the stakeholders should educate the young population methods of eradicating the ailment, for example, through use of condom, being faithful and abstinence (McCree, Jones, & O’Leary, 2010: 459)
Empowering economically the black young ladies is another way of curbing HIV/AIDS. For instance, the populations should have equal education opportunity just like their white counterparts (McCree, Jones, & O’Leary, 2010: 59) In addition, the endangered population should have equal opportunities in their workplace, whereby during recruitment or promotions, they should not be segregated due to their color (McCree, Jones, & O’Leary, 2010: 59) Therefore, the population, would not be endangering themselves through prostitution, sex relationship with older men and even drug abuse (Mays et.al, 2014: 103).
Lastly, the government should combat stigma and discrimination of the young black women suffering from the virus. Stigma and discrimination affect the fight against the HIV, for example, some young people fear to be tested (Halkitis, 2014: 42). Therefore, the government should educate the general public that HIV/AIDS is just like any other ailment (Halkitis, 2014: 45). Therefore, the Congress should come out with laws for punishing people who ridicule people suffering from the ailment (Mays et.al, 2014: 108).
Conclusion
To sum it up, social and historical injustice are major factors contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS among the young black women. At first, as compared to the white counterparts, black young ladies are disadvantaged, for instance, due to the injustice they have undergone, for example, slavery, most of them live below the poverty line. Therefore, they endanger themselves is risky sexual behaviors such as prostitution and sex with old men to have their basic needs. The other factor that contributes to high infection is racism. For example, there have been conspiracies that HIV was made in the government lab to reduce the black population. Therefore, most of the blacks tend to prejudice healthcare system thus why they are not tested for the ailment. Also, due to depression the endangered population engages in drugs which also increases their chances of being infected. HIV/AIDS has several effects to the young population. For instance, it has economic effects such as loss of job opportunities. Also, the affected suffers from social stigma, whereby they may be neglected by their friends and family members. To solve the problem government can educate the young population, pass out legislation to fight stigma and discrimination and economically empower the endangered population.
References
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Imperato, P. J. (1989). Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: Current Issues and Scientific Studies. Boston, MA: Springer US.
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Stone, V. E. (2009). HIV/AIDS in U.S. communities of color. New York, NY: Springer.
Watkins-Hayes C (2010). The Social and Economic Context of Black Women Living with HIV/AIDS in the US: Implications for Research. wwwiprnorthwesternedu/publications. Availableat:http://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/publications/docs/workingpapers/2008/IPR-WP-08-06.pdf [Accessed June 25, 2017].