The less deadly variety of sexually transmitted diseases, such as genital warts or herpes have taken the focus of most media outlets in terms of publicity and public awareness. HIV and AIDS, though often discussed and certainly a hot topic during the 1980s and 1990s seem to have more recently dropped back from the spotlight and away from the general public’s purview. Nevertheless, AIDS continues to affect millions of people worldwide and only a fraction of them are offered effective treatment to control this deadly virus.
It is therefore no surprise that most people with access to effective treatment live within developed countries; and even then, those with most access to treatment tend to be among the wealthy with the capability to pay for much of the treatment that isn’t covered by national healthcare, should one exist.
After years and billions of dollars spent researching AIDS, the cure continues to evade scientists around the world. Prevention still remains the only way to combat this epidemic, and the media continues to be one of the more effective tools for promoting effective preventive measures amongst the younger, more vulnerable populations.
Approximately 30 million people live with HIV and AIDS, and roughly one million of them live in the United States. This represents a large segment of our population, and one that requires continued attention in terms of proper care and preventative measures among those populations more prone to infection. Certain types of preventative care might include the use of condoms, avoiding high risk behavior such as the sharing of syringe needles, decreased promiscuity, or even abstinence. Many of those infected can even be unaware that they are carrying the virus; in which case, the importance of HIV testing particularly among populations with higher risk of obtaining the disease should be strongly advised, if not mandated.
