AIDS & Behaviour journal posted about South African tries to find HIV treatment
These efforts were inspired, if we could say so, by stigma, HIV-positive people live with. They should not be discriminated by other people, cause HIV-infection is not an infection, which could be recognised naked eyed. Unfortunately, in that region, like in many other countries, HIV wals hand-in-hand with stigma. the disease is associated with discrimination and “being an other one” very strong.
South-african enthusiasts researched an all-round study. One part of the south-african research was dedicated to informational topics about the way a human body works and functions while using ART drugs. These basic information should be known by the young generation, because knowledge means understanding. If young people understand the way ART drug works, they won’t discriminate or humiliate HIV-positive people. Researchers note that education, creation of a family play very important role in improvement of a desire in young scientists to find a treatment for HIV.
Treatment on the early stages of disease reduces the risk of illness of death of people diagnosed with HIV and their partners, that’s the main reason South Africa started a “test and treat” policy, which obliges everyone with HIV-positive diagnosis to start their treatment immediately. Talking about South Africa big HIV spread should be mentioned as well as delay of HIV-positive south africans to take ART drugs. that is also an extremely significant part that should be taken into account.
A group of young people till the age of 35 were tested in Gugulethu. All of them use ART drugs. They were asked different questions about the way they were diagnosed with HIV, what kind of difficulties the’d faced and many other issues on HIV topic were discussed to carry out the main reason young people start to use ART drugs.
Most of the participants said about a fear they had even to be tested for HIV. So easy and anonymous HIV testing is very important in HIV prevention and treatment. Also participants were afraid to know they become HIV-positive, how their families and friends would react and other things like that, but their desire to achieve their dreams stimulated them to be tested and to start treatment when they were diagnosed with HIV. People who took part in a research also note that staying fit and healthy helped to the community where they live and work to accept their HIV-positive status without prejudice.
That is great that people are motivated to live a full life and to realize their life projects. Scientists say that further researches would be dedicated to people, who refuse to make a HIV test or to use ART drugs. That category of people should be motivated and supported.
