The primary audience for this blog are people in developing countries where it is common for people to face decisions that put themselves at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. This blog hopes to raise awareness concerning the possible consequences of HIV/AIDS and encourage individuals to consider how it will affect their lives, and the lives of their loved ones. David Toomey’s quilt suggests that chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS can have lasting effects on people aside from themselves. In many parts of the world, HIV/AIDS has contributed to the severe impairment of a caregiver’s ability to provide for their dependents. In countries such as China, where HIV/AIDS is widespread, an infection can lead to severe social, psychological, and economic hardship for individuals, including caregivers and their children.
A study by the Anhui and Funan CDC and staff members of UCLA has found that children living with family members that have HIV/AIDS have experienced social-psycho stress, discrimination due to their relationship to the infected, and a greater overall burden as many are left with the responsibility to provide for their family (Ji, 2007).
Knowing what types of decisions that may lead to HIV/AIDS is essential to be able to develop an appropriate course of action and to know what precautions should be exercised to prevent the disease from causing any more damage.