The HIV/AIDS epidemic is one that has changed in since it first came out. It has gone from being seeing as the “gay man” disease to being seen as a disease that can affect anybody young and old. The virus itself is still not curable, but thanks to physicians and social workers, there is more importance on being tested and preventing the virus. Like other aspects of social work, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has helped evolve social work and the work that is done in preventing the spread of the virus. Social workers have an important job in the prevention of the spread of HIV/AIDS. Advocacy and awareness are what social workers focus on with this epidemic. For social workers, there are still many challenges that the profession has faced when dealing …show more content…
The disease still has a stigma, but the awareness is different from in 1981. More people are aware of the virus and how to prevent it than when the virus first came out in America. The virus was initially seen in being widespread in Africa; however, it became an epidemic in America in the 80’s. Since then, more has been studied about the disease and the myth that only gay white man can contract it has been debunked. Now it is seen that anyone can contract the virus and that the virus does not discriminate between heterosexual or homosexual. It is now known that the virus is not just something that occurs in Africa. Since the virus has been founded and now, treatment for the virus has been more available even though there is no cure. These are just some of the changes that have occurred in the last 30 years of the virus being …show more content…
However, now social worker are raising more awareness for the virus for fighting for testing and advocating for better health care for those suffering from the virus. Many social workers advocate for HIV/AIDS by speaking to organizations like World Health Organizations and even politicians to spread the needs of those who have HIV/AIDS. Social workers raise awareness by educating family and friends of those with HIV/AIDS on what the virus is and how they can help those around them. Another way they advocate is by asking people to be tested by holding free testing events around the community. These are so of the ways that social workers advocate and raise awareness for