1. The problem at hand in the article is the fact that there is a huge HIV outbreak in Indiana. The outbreak is tied in with a drug you inject called Opana which is a painkiller. The epicenter of this all was in Scott county, which is fairly small with close social interactions with the people living in there. The article is pretty much an interview between NPR's Melissa Block and Dr. Jerome Adams. Adams talks about how doctors used to be afraid to treat patients with HIV, but now is fairly easy and can boost the life expectancy of people with HIV over 70 years. Adams also talks about how they can stop the spread of HIV in the area and maybe even completely stopping it. He pretty much says that the best ways to go about stopping the spread is to first get treatment to the people diagnosed. Next, the they really have to start educating people using needles about the problems they can come across. They are not well educated which speaks for itself. And next, they need to start treating people with mental problems they developed in order to stop drug use which would then stop the spread of HIV. If less people use drugs, it can slowly die out, but only if they are educated and treated into not using drugs. Also, the stigma in these small towns are huge since everyone pretty much knows each other. They used to think the spread of HIV was mainly because of homosexual contact. Now, they have proven that over 50% of the spread is between heterosexuals. The best theories/concept that can be applied is the interactionist theory that focuses on social interaction between small groups and individuals that make up the society they are living in.
2. An interactionist would say that the reason this all started in the small county is because the people living in there interact with one another on a level of unawareness. They don't know of the risks of sharing needles, and they think it's socially acceptable which is one of the reasons why people are really hurting themselves. It is the way people interpret situations based on the ways they were raised in a society. Again, this theorie looks at things at a much smaller scale. Instead of looking at the larger scale of the social system, it examines smaller scale social interactions, which is between individuals and small social groups. The uneducation, unawareness, and social norms in Scott County, Indiana caused the birth of the now spreading social problem.
3. The reason why I commented on this topic is because so much of what happens in these small counties and areas is becoming to be a real problem. If we stop looking at this HIV problem, and focus on other births of social problems like violence and crime that is pretty much learned through interacting with the people around you, it just builds up to the larger scale of society. I chose it because these small social problems that develop through the way you are raised scares me. The only solution I can offer would be to spend money on educating the small areas that don't get attention. Problems build up from the smallest parts and grow to become a real threat to lives, and a safe way of living. Besides educating, and helping the people already going through it now, there is no other way of going about it.
Lindsey E. In response to Michael A. 1. I agree with Michael, this article is about an interview between the Indiana’s State Health Commissioner, Dr. Jerome Adams and NPR’s Melissa Block about the Indiana HIV outbreak. It was said that the outbreak was caused due to sharing needles amongst each other. The many that were infected were addicted to opana, a narcotic, which caused the needle use. Michael states that there were many doctors afraid of treating HIV because they believed it to be a death sentence. Early doctors were not trained in handling this type of situation and decided it was better to stay away. Now there is a treatment that has evolved HIV from a death sentence to just a sickness. HIV can be treated, the disease will not fully disappear but it does not mean you are going to die as soon as you get it. Doctors in Indiana are now taught on how to come about HIV. Not many were guided in the dangers of sharing needles but that is no excuse, it is common sense to be aware of the consequences. A doctor will not reuse the same needle on all of his patients during a doctors visit so why would it be okay for someone else to do it. The only way to stop this epidemic from spreading would be to discontinue the drug use that has led to sharing needles. It is difficult to break the habit of your addiction but it is not impossible, you are the most important part of your recovery. 2. A conflict theorist would see this social problem as a whole and recognize the two groups in the situation, the infected and the non-infected. The infected are the people with HIV, the ones that have been sharing the needles to inject opana. The non-infected are the drug free, infection free citizens of Indiana. Without there being disorder there is no order. Needle sharing and unprotected sex with the infected has caused over 100 confirmed cases of HIV in Scott County, Indiana. The problem is many are in denial of what the outcome of this might be. They are blindsided by the addiction and believe they can do no wrong. The moment they are diagnosed they snap back into reality and realize that it is too late. 3. I chose to comment on this topic because I believe that common sense is a missing factor. Addiction can always be overcome. It is very difficult to do so but if you do not set yourself up for success you will never break the habit. Once again, you are the most important part of your recovery. I have seen many relapse over time, in the end most of them get through to a healthier life. Wanting better for yourself has to come from something you and only you want, not what someone else is telling you, you need to want. A person will never do better if he is demanded to do so. It all has to be on your own, in the end you are the only person you can rely on.
Micah D. In response to Michael A. 1. When it comes to the HIV outbreak of nearly 140 confirmed cases in Indiana, I would have to agree with Michael with his stance on the social issue. I agree with him because he touches base on both the doctors and victims, which explains why this is a social problem that can occur anywhere, not just Indiana. Most doctors are from past generations and are still quite unable to understand that HIV is not as deadly as it once was. In fact, we now have one-day regimens. Although we have come a long way with HIV research and treatment, some doctors are very uncomfortable treating these patients. In addition to, the victims abusing the painkiller Opana are still blind and uneducated about the fact that sharing needles is unsanitary and is the main cause of HIV spreading in this case. What stood out to me the most was that Michael brought up a confounding variable, which was the fact that most people are abusing these drugs due to mental health issues and that doctors should also target these things just as much as the abuse itself. I chose to comment on my peer's entry because no one else seemed to have interest in this topic and with him being the only one, I'm sure he had a genuine feel for the topic. What I think about this topic is that it is something that needs to be more addressed. If doctors do not use the same needle for different patients then there is a good reason behind it. Although they should not be abusing the painkiller at all, they should at least be aware of sharing needles. This is a big social issue because people are not educated to know that what they're doing is harmful and doctors are still fairly uncomfortable in treating it. Something has to give. 2. A structural functionalist would look at this issue expressing that drugs play a role of maintenance and stability in society. Opana is a painkiller and people abuse the drug to cope with life and make them feel less stressed. They believe it will help them ease through interaction and daily obstacles. Also, with sharing needles causing HIV, it encourages economic activity as hospitals will need to be used and more doctors will need to be provided. It is simply all about stability. Problems are inevitable. Drugs are used to feel stable and if not done carefully, doctors come into place to stabilize things and in the process, the economy builds. 3. I think Michael's solution is very practical in a sense that we simply need to spend more focus and money on educating people to not share needles and ultimately, stop abusing painkillers. It would be both possible and realistic. There are so many issues in the world that these ones in small areas are overshadowed. My solution for the HIV outbreak in Indiana would be to educate doctors on how to treat these patients. Many are still uncomfortable in doing so, and need to know HIV is not as deadly as before. Also, doctors should target their mental health issues and provide even a specialist to come and help patients cope with their problems and addiction. That way, we can stop HIV from needles and also stabilize them without using drugs.
3 comments:
Michael A.
1. The problem at hand in the article is the fact that there is a huge HIV outbreak in Indiana. The outbreak is tied in with a drug you inject called Opana which is a painkiller. The epicenter of this all was in Scott county, which is fairly small with close social interactions with the people living in there. The article is pretty much an interview between NPR's Melissa Block and Dr. Jerome Adams. Adams talks about how doctors used to be afraid to treat patients with HIV, but now is fairly easy and can boost the life expectancy of people with HIV over 70 years. Adams also talks about how they can stop the spread of HIV in the area and maybe even completely stopping it. He pretty much says that the best ways to go about stopping the spread is to first get treatment to the people diagnosed. Next, the they really have to start educating people using needles about the problems they can come across. They are not well educated which speaks for itself. And next, they need to start treating people with mental problems they developed in order to stop drug use which would then stop the spread of HIV. If less people use drugs, it can slowly die out, but only if they are educated and treated into not using drugs. Also, the stigma in these small towns are huge since everyone pretty much knows each other. They used to think the spread of HIV was mainly because of homosexual contact. Now, they have proven that over 50% of the spread is between heterosexuals. The best theories/concept that can be applied is the interactionist theory that focuses on social interaction between small groups and individuals that make up the society they are living in.
2. An interactionist would say that the reason this all started in the small county is because the people living in there interact with one another on a level of unawareness. They don't know of the risks of sharing needles, and they think it's socially acceptable which is one of the reasons why people are really hurting themselves. It is the way people interpret situations based on the ways they were raised in a society. Again, this theorie looks at things at a much smaller scale. Instead of looking at the larger scale of the social system, it examines smaller scale social interactions, which is between individuals and small social groups. The uneducation, unawareness, and social norms in Scott County, Indiana caused the birth of the now spreading social problem.
3. The reason why I commented on this topic is because so much of what happens in these small counties and areas is becoming to be a real problem. If we stop looking at this HIV problem, and focus on other births of social problems like violence and crime that is pretty much learned through interacting with the people around you, it just builds up to the larger scale of society. I chose it because these small social problems that develop through the way you are raised scares me. The only solution I can offer would be to spend money on educating the small areas that don't get attention. Problems build up from the smallest parts and grow to become a real threat to lives, and a safe way of living. Besides educating, and helping the people already going through it now, there is no other way of going about it.
Lindsey E.
In response to Michael A.
1. I agree with Michael, this article is about an interview between the Indiana’s State Health Commissioner, Dr. Jerome Adams and NPR’s Melissa Block about the Indiana HIV outbreak. It was said that the outbreak was caused due to sharing needles amongst each other. The many that were infected were addicted to opana, a narcotic, which caused the needle use. Michael states that there were many doctors afraid of treating HIV because they believed it to be a death sentence. Early doctors were not trained in handling this type of situation and decided it was better to stay away. Now there is a treatment that has evolved HIV from a death sentence to just a sickness. HIV can be treated, the disease will not fully disappear but it does not mean you are going to die as soon as you get it. Doctors in Indiana are now taught on how to come about HIV. Not many were guided in the dangers of sharing needles but that is no excuse, it is common sense to be aware of the consequences. A doctor will not reuse the same needle on all of his patients during a doctors visit so why would it be okay for someone else to do it. The only way to stop this epidemic from spreading would be to discontinue the drug use that has led to sharing needles. It is difficult to break the habit of your addiction but it is not impossible, you are the most important part of your recovery.
2. A conflict theorist would see this social problem as a whole and recognize the two groups in the situation, the infected and the non-infected. The infected are the people with HIV, the ones that have been sharing the needles to inject opana. The non-infected are the drug free, infection free citizens of Indiana. Without there being disorder there is no order. Needle sharing and unprotected sex with the infected has caused over 100 confirmed cases of HIV in Scott County, Indiana. The problem is many are in denial of what the outcome of this might be. They are blindsided by the addiction and believe they can do no wrong. The moment they are diagnosed they snap back into reality and realize that it is too late.
3. I chose to comment on this topic because I believe that common sense is a missing factor. Addiction can always be overcome. It is very difficult to do so but if you do not set yourself up for success you will never break the habit. Once again, you are the most important part of your recovery. I have seen many relapse over time, in the end most of them get through to a healthier life. Wanting better for yourself has to come from something you and only you want, not what someone else is telling you, you need to want. A person will never do better if he is demanded to do so. It all has to be on your own, in the end you are the only person you can rely on.
Micah D.
In response to Michael A.
1. When it comes to the HIV outbreak of nearly 140 confirmed cases in Indiana, I would have to agree with Michael with his stance on the social issue. I agree with him because he touches base on both the doctors and victims, which explains why this is a social problem that can occur anywhere, not just Indiana. Most doctors are from past generations and are still quite unable to understand that HIV is not as deadly as it once was. In fact, we now have one-day regimens. Although we have come a long way with HIV research and treatment, some doctors are very uncomfortable treating these patients. In addition to, the victims abusing the painkiller Opana are still blind and uneducated about the fact that sharing needles is unsanitary and is the main cause of HIV spreading in this case. What stood out to me the most was that Michael brought up a confounding variable, which was the fact that most people are abusing these drugs due to mental health issues and that doctors should also target these things just as much as the abuse itself. I chose to comment on my peer's entry because no one else seemed to have interest in this topic and with him being the only one, I'm sure he had a genuine feel for the topic. What I think about this topic is that it is something that needs to be more addressed. If doctors do not use the same needle for different patients then there is a good reason behind it. Although they should not be abusing the painkiller at all, they should at least be aware of sharing needles. This is a big social issue because people are not educated to know that what they're doing is harmful and doctors are still fairly uncomfortable in treating it. Something has to give.
2. A structural functionalist would look at this issue expressing that drugs play a role of maintenance and stability in society. Opana is a painkiller and people abuse the drug to cope with life and make them feel less stressed. They believe it will help them ease through interaction and daily obstacles. Also, with sharing needles causing HIV, it encourages economic activity as hospitals will need to be used and more doctors will need to be provided. It is simply all about stability. Problems are inevitable. Drugs are used to feel stable and if not done carefully, doctors come into place to stabilize things and in the process, the economy builds.
3. I think Michael's solution is very practical in a sense that we simply need to spend more focus and money on educating people to not share needles and ultimately, stop abusing painkillers. It would be both possible and realistic. There are so many issues in the world that these ones in small areas are overshadowed. My solution for the HIV outbreak in Indiana would be to educate doctors on how to treat these patients. Many are still uncomfortable in doing so, and need to know HIV is not as deadly as before. Also, doctors should target their mental health issues and provide even a specialist to come and help patients cope with their problems and addiction. That way, we can stop HIV from needles and also stabilize them without using drugs.
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