Post # 10 HIV Discrimination in Russia

Hello Bloggers, another week another blog. Well class is going ok at this point I am still surprised every time I read articles and our modules. I did not know that when you miss any pills or mess up your schedule of taking your medication that the virus can start to become immune to the medication. I thought to myself that if that stands for all viruses or illnesses than I may be immune to a lot of medications because almost every time I am given a prescription I never finish it. Usually once I start feeling better I start forgetting to take the medications. The question of the week was a good one I almost got mad thinking about the government wanting to violate people’s rights that way.

As you know my topic has always been discrimination therefore

DID YOU KNOW?

I read an article entitled Stigmatization of HIV positive persons by Russian health care workers. Basically the article was based on a survey that was taken by over 250 physicians and health care workers from areas all over Russia they were asked how they felt about patients with HIV. The results would surprise you, the article says that one out of two heath care workers thought that HIV test should be given to patients before they are allowed to be admitted into the hospitals. Then patients who test positive for HIV or AIDS should be deferred to receive care in a special hospital specifically for patients who are positive. These same health care workers also believed that babies of positive mothers should be born in HIV specific maternity wards in those same HIV specific hospitals. More that 50% of the healthcare working felt that the patients should have an obligation to tell them that they are positive for HIV or AIDS. The article also said that over 50% of the doctors admitted that they would treat their coworkers differently if they knew that they were positive. They even went as far as to say that they would not want their children going to the same schools as HIV positive children and playing with them.

Basically there is a very high percentage of Russia that is still very negative toward people with HIV. This is causing some series discrimination. I feel sorry for the people who are living with HIV or AIDS in Russia because they are not only treated differently by their community but also in the health care field. I mean these health care workers should have some more compassion after all they have the knowledge so there is no excuse for their behavior.

If you are interested in this article please visit the website at http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/ma?f=102282793.html