From the video, the presenter explains that individuals contract HIV not because they engage in stupid things but because they have perfectly rational reasons for doing those things. Pisani, the presenter, explains the two main factors, sex, and drugs that lead to the increased spread of HIV. She also explains that despite people knowing that sex and substance abuse can lead to HIV, they continue to expose themselves more by sharing needles and having multiple partners, mainly because of the prevalence of gender inequality and poverty, making them rationalize things.
Ms. Pisani acknowledges that it is difficult to stop drug users from taking illegal drugs; however, she points out that the users can be protected from spreading HIV to other people. She disputed the idea of illegalizing the needles because the initiative only facilitates sharing the needles amongst the addicts. Therefore, the government should make needles legal to allow drug users to make rational decisions by buying their needles instead of sharing them (Pisani, 2010). Pisani believes that legalizing the needles will significantly reduce the spread of the virus because its action will also relieve the fear of arrest.
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The presenter also admits that it is difficult to control sex despite being the easiest way of spreading HIV. Ms. Pisani elaborates that HIV cases are quite prevalent in homosexuals communities since they practice sex with multiple partners. Despite being aware of preventing exposure to the virus, homosexuals decide not to take cautionary measures since they do not adhere to the treatments option that can help reduce the viral lodes (Pisani, 2010). The presenter concludes by acknowledging that individuals will often make wrong decisions; therefore, the government and politicians are the ones to implement actions and use common sense to develop measures that can prevent the spread of conquerable disease, HIV, among the minority groups.
Analysis from the Sociological Perspective
According to the sociological view, people who abuse drugs are at a higher risk of engaging in risky behaviors that expose them to HIV. For example, alcoholics have high rates of engaging in unprotected sex with multiple sex partners and practice needle sharing. Heavy alcohol and drug use often decrease treatment compliance leading to poor response to HIV therapy. As a result, individuals who are abusing drugs become non-adherent to the medications and, therefore, facilitate the spread to a new segment of people who were not at risk initially because the substances decrease the cognitive ability of the users
Additionally, the spread is high among homosexuals because they are often a vulnerable social minority group with low visibility . The group is also behaviorally stereotyped and faces discrimination, making them fear taking their medication, especially in public (Watkins-Hayes, 2014) . Also, the stigmatization and discrimination discourage homosexuals from undertaking HIV tests. The prevalence of the intersectional inequalities enhanced by gender, race, sex, and class in society increases the spread of the disease.
Symbolic Interactionism Theory
The theory explains how individuals define themselves and establish their own identity through social experiences. People form interactions and give meaning to the social world they live in according to their understanding (Charmaz & Belgarve, 2013). Symbolic interactionism is grounded on various premises about the study of HIV; first, the concept holds that a particular situation prescribes people's reactions. Secondly, it holds that things have no inherent meaning; that is, through the consequence of social interaction, people get the sense of the action they take.
Thus, the theory provides a perspective that is important in constructing people's behavior because it allows for a role in the idea of interaction within a particular social group. Despite explaining how HIV spread highly amongst the minority group of people, the theory is also vital for understanding why stigma prevails among people with HIV. It explains that belonging to a given group may lead to non-adherence to treatment and medications, especially because of the poverty level or discrimination that the group faces (Charmaz & Belgarve, 2013). For instance, homosexuals experience stigmatization, and the problem leads to interpersonal and structural challenges, causing non-adherence. It also explains that many drug users engage in unprotected sex because they lose the meaning of life in their social group.
Additionally, symbolic interaction provides a broader view of an intervention approach by developing social interaction with the victims—the theory advocates for practicing healthy patient-to-physician professional interactions throughout the disease process to enhance medication adherence. The theory also advocates for communication process that motivates the engagement of all people. Nonetheless, symbolic interaction explains other challenges such as life experiences, guilt feelings for HIV victims, stigma, and perception as major reasons for abandoning medication and enhancing the spread of HIV in society.
In conclusion, HIV indeed continues to spread in society. To mitigate the effect, the government needs to take charge by putting constructive initiatives like educating the affected minority groups on the importance of medication adherence. As proposed by Pisani, it is also vital to legalize the needles to reduce the sharing instances that happen among drug users. The community as a whole should also stop discriminating the homosexuals and treat them like normal human beings. The result will make them go for HIV tests and take a precautionary measure to limit the exposer .
References
Charmaz, K., & Belgarve, L. L. (2013). Modern symbolic interaction theory and health. Medical sociology on the move . Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6193-3_2
Pisani, E. (2010). Sex, drugs, and HIV-let's get rational. TED Talk . https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_pisani_sex_drugs_and_hiv_let_s_get_rational?language=en
Watkins-Hayes, C. (2014). Intersectionality and the Sociology of HIV/AIDS: Past, Present, and Future Research Direction. Annual Review of Sociology . https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-071312- 145621.
