AIDS/HIV is a major chronic illness

Issues Concerning AIDS/HIV

AIDS/HIV is a major chronic illness today and even though it’s no longer a medical emergency, it is seriously affecting lives of 40 million people around the world. (Britton, 2006) The work concern of individuals with AIDS is an important issue to discuss. The reasons being that while people with HIV were once seen as a medical crisis but that is no longer the case with longer life expectancy and improved quality of life. When AIDS was still a major and rather unexpected discovery at workplaces in the US, patients were viewed as emergencies and most were told to retire and enjoy the remaining few years of their lives. However that has changed dramatically with better drugs and treatments, which have helped in the improvement of medical condition and life expectancy. The individuals with HIV are living longer now and their career concerns are as real as that of anyone else. That alone explains why this issue is an important one and must be carefully discussed. Stress is a commonly experienced faced by individuals with HIV due to their changed health status. Post-traumatic stress disorder has been found in many patients and correct coping strategies are required to address this problem. (Olley et al

htm is a good website that deals with the issue of AIDS and workplace. It is important that even if a firm doesn"tmt have any HIV patients working for them, there must be clear rules about dealing with a medical crisis of this nature. 2005)Health professional and knowledge of the issueAs a health professional, it is important for me to learn about the career concerns of HIV people because this can have an impact on the treatment they receive. In the food business for example, discrimination can be higher and similarly in healthcare profession since the environment is more conducive for transmission of infection. Stereotyping is used to refer to the cognitive biases against outgroup members and includes not only attributions of traits to members of these groups but also beliefs about these individuals. Their stress levels are higher and coping strategies at their disposal are very few. Slack (1996) wrote: "Although the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is designed to protect all disabled individuals from workplace discrimination, its mission is somewhat more difficult to accomplish in situations involving employees and job applicants who are either infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or have developed Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). 1)Website on AIDShttp://www. But the latter is neither needed nor is it feasible for most people. (2006) notes: "In Hong Kong, persons infected with HIV were found to suffer from considerable levels of mood disturbance and reduced quality of life. "� (So-Kum Tang; Chi-Yan Wong, 2004)OrganizationInternational Labor Organization is the one body that is effectively handling the problems connected with AIDS at workplace. Career concerns of people with HIV vary from person to person. In the introductory section, the authors clearly explain that the book deals "with prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination in the workplace"� and they further explain the meanings of these terms sating that "We refer to prejudice as the attitudinal and especially the affective biases that exist with regard to members of groups other than those to which one belongs.