AIDS & HIV

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "the number of AIDS-related deaths in the US decreased for the first time in 1996. A total of 573,000 AIDS cases was reported from 1981 through 1996, including 68, 473 in 1996," (Trends, 1997: 165). In tandem with the AIDS virus is HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) which the person who develops AIDS first becomes infected with. The mode of transmission for AIDS is through the exchange of bodily fluids (blood and semen). The most at-risk groups for contracting HIV are heterosexuals and homosexuals who practice unsafe sex with numerous partners, and intravenous drug users who share needles. To date there have only been 102 documented cases of HIV being contracted through occupational exposure (Folks and Butera, 1996: 4). AIDS is a disease that develops in the usual pathway: "A person infected with HIV gradually loses immune function along with certain immune cells, called CD4 T-lymphocytes or CD4 T-cells, causing the infected person to become vulnerable to pneumonia, fungus infections, and other common ailments. With the loss of immune function, a clinical syndrome (a group of various illnesses that together characterize a disease) develops over time and eventually results in death due to opportunistic infections or cancers," (Folks, et.al, 1996: 1). The normal manner of becoming infected is through sexual activity with an infected pa ection with HIV from progressing to full-blown AIDS, especially in patients who start taking the medication early," (Meyer, 1997: 1). While there is promising hope in research, most of the drugs have not fully been tested over time for their real effectiveness, but they are our only hope at present. EMT SUPPORT & RESOURCE TO FAMILIES & COMMUNITY EMTs can play a large role in helping to bring support and help to benefit the family and community where AIDS is concerned. First of all, the main obstacles with the new therapies that do exist are "problems of cost, of compliance, of drug resistance, and of toxicity/intolerance," (Keith, 1998: 1). Only a few years ago cost was not as crucial of a factor because no drugs existed to help combat HIV. However, that has changed in light of new therapies, "Three years ago, if you were diagnosed with HIV you were basically a low-maintenance patient until you moved on to AIDS. Now patients who are newly positive suddenly have huge pharmacy bills for drug therapy," (Fung, 1997: 2). Therefore, one of the most crucial measures of support for families and the community is to try to raise funds to help those who need to afford the drugs and cannot. Many companies like MERCK and Burroughs