Psychology

AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), a disease of the human immune system caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), is now a pandemic (Kallings, 2008). According to WHO (World Health Organization), as of 2007 it was estimated that there are 33.2 million people infected with this disease worldwide. It has also killed an estimated 2.1 million people and 330,000 children. At present, there is still no cure for the disease. People suffering in this ailment are trapped into a situation wherein they will just have to wait for their death. The mode of transmission of the disease include blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids and sexual contact. Due to the fact it is a venereal disease, people having this infection suffer from discrimination, ostracism, and even rejection. This study wants to investigate the psychological problems that will arise on people with AIDS.

This study will answer the following questions
Do people with AIDS develop psychological problems relating to society, culture and religion
What are the psychological problems they develop
How do they deal with these psychological problems
What are the approaches to resolve these psychological problems
The researcher wants to use the following sources as a reference to the study
More emphasis must be placed on the lives and stories of the people living with HIVAIDS, and not just on statistics. After all, the statistics are people and not just numbers. We must create a paradigm shift in thinking about HIVAIDS.

Bezuidenhoudt, C. (n.d.). The Psychological Impact of HIVAIDS
People are more than statistics. Retrieved April 14, 2010, from org.elon.edusummitessaysessay4.pdf

People with the AIDS virus feel trapped and have a desire to break away from the bondage that this horrible disease has with the person. However, running from the issue at hand only makes the problem worse.

The Physical and Psychological Effects of AIDS. Retrieved April 14, 2010, from  HYPERLINK httpwww.megaessays.comviewpaper47825.html httpwww.megaessays.comviewpaper47825.html

The majority of these children tend to have significant psychosocial stressors in addition to HIV infection, including poverty and urban living conditions.

Fischer, E. (December 1999). Psychological Issues In Pediatric HIVAIDS Patients. Retrieved April 14, 2010, from
httpwww.dcmsonline.orgjax-medicine1999journalsdecember99psychological.htm