Almost The End!

I can't believe the semester is almost over! My last semester at UCF - a very wierd thought indeed. I have decided to continue with my schooling while everything is still fresh in my mind. I fear that if I take a break, I will never return to school and I would like to achieve my Masters. I will be moving to Tallahassee at the end of the summer to work towards my MBA. My sister already attends FSU as an undergraduate student and I will be moving into an apartment with her. I am so excited!! To add to my excitement, I will be getting a Pomeranian puppy as a graduation present. Many unexpected events have happened throughout the past semester. At first, I just wanted to lay down and die but now I feel that I have some great things to look forward to. I would have never thought of moving to Tallahassee before and now I could not be more excited. My sister is my best friend and I feel blessed to have the time to enjoy being a student and strengthen my relationship with her :)

This week's QOTW was rather thought provoking. After conducting the M&M simulation, I cannot imagine going through such a medication regimen without the simulation part. The constant struggle with HIV medication side effects and the rigid schedule of the medications would make life very difficult. However, four weeks is nothing compared to a possible lifetime of HIV infection. I understand that I must adhere to the treatment for the full four weeks otherwise the virus may develop a resistance. If I were to become infected with HIV, not only would I have to deal with the medication side effects for much longer than four weeks, but I would also inherit all of the side effects of a positive HIV diagnosis.

As this class comes to an end, I feel like I have gained so much knowlege concerning HIV/AIDS. I feel much more aware of what is going on around me. I know for a fact that I was severely misinformed about HIV before this class. My goal for the future is to correct the misinformation that other people have about the virus. Knowledge is power and hopefully if more people know the facts about HIV, prevention and its prevalence throughout the world, something more can be done. Thank you for making this class so interesting!! I feel that I have learned more in this one semester than most of my other online classes.

***Did You Know?***

While HIV and pregnancy receives a lot of attention in the medical world, HIV and abortion seems to be lacking in research. An HIV+ pregnant woman has the same rights as an HIV- pregnant woman when it comes to abortion. The woman may want to avoid a pregnancy for the same reasons as other women but HIV+ women must also worry about the effects of pregnancy and childbirth on their health and the safety of their future child. There has been little research conducted on the morbidity of HIV+ women versus HIV- women and unsafe abortions, however evidence suggests that an HIV+ woman may have a higher morbidity risk. Studies in Zimbabwe and Thailand show that when information on legal pregnancy termination is lacking, HIV+ women can be prevented from conducting an abortion.

http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-298933/Safe-abortion-for-HIV-positive.html

The Criminal Transmission of HIV

The QOTW for this week made me search a little deeper into the criminalization of HIV transmission. I can understand why this subject is touchy for different people. It is hard to prove intent in such a situation but the intent of the transmission is the foundation of the criminal charges. There are three different forms of transmission recognized in a criminal case. The first and most serious is an intentional HIV transmission from one partner to another. In this case, the positive person engaged in a sexual act with the sole purpose of infecting their negative partner. Second is reckless transmission, in which a person is seeking sexual gratification but does not wish to infect their partner. Finally, accidental transmission can occur when a positive person is unaware of their positive status. As you may imagine, it is hard for the prosecution to find solid proof that would distinguish between intentional and reckless transmission.

Different legislations must acknowledge which form or forms of transmission are considered a criminal offense. There are three general approaches: criminalization of intentional transmission only, criminalization of all forms of transmission and no criminalization for transmission. Florida states that it is unlawful for an HIV positive person to engage in sexual contact without disclosure and consent. Also, Florida took it one step further in being the first state to prosecute a woman for mother to child HIV transmission. The prosecution stated that the mother did not follow the necessary steps to prevent transmission during pregnancy because she did not want the baby's father to know about her positive status.

Many HIV positive people disagree with the criminalization of reckless HIV transmission. One common belief is that protected sex should be a shared responsibility. I definitely see the validity in this statement. At this point, most people are aware of sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV/AIDS. However, young people often have a sense entitlement and believe they are invincible, as if nothing could ever happen to them. This is far from the truth. You should always use a condom when engaging in sexual activity. However, I do feel that the positive partner is more aware of the seriousness behind HIV/AIDS. They are living with this condition every day of their lives and know the deep impact that it can have. It is their responsibility to inform the negative partner of the possible outcome of the situation.

Another reason why an HIV positive person may dislike the criminalization of HIV transmission is that it once again sheds a negative light on HIV. This will only increase the stigma behind HIV. Depsite this fact, it is still important to have such laws in effect, especially for intentional transmission. The idea of someone actively trying to infect other people is wrong and should be dealt with in a criminal manner.

http://www.avert.org/criminal-transmission.htm



***Did You Know?***
HIV positive women that become pregnant will not become sicker simply because of the pregnancy. However, there are some factors within the pregnancy that must be monitored, especially medications. "Short course" treatments that protect newborns from transmission of HIV are not always good for the mother's health. Combination therapies are the best option for expecting mothers. It is important that the mother does not take the medications only during labor and delivery because HIV might develop a resistance to the medications. If a resistance is developed, this can limit future treatment options for the mother. However, many doctors suggest that pregnant mothers should interrupt their treatment course for the first three months of pregnancy. There is a high risk of missing doses due to the nausea and vomiting that is common in the first three months. By missing doses, HIV might get the chance to develop a resistance.

http://www.aids.org/factSheets/611-Pregnancy-and-HIV.html#anchor51213