AIDS Epidemic of the 1980's Term Paper

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aegis.com/topics/timeline/default.asp).

One year later the casualty number doubled again with more than 4,000 victims of the disease.

At this time Americans continued to blame homosexuals while the CDC fought against that belief with public service messages aimed at all people who were sexually active whether they were gay or straight.

In 1986 the epidemic has begun to grow. President Ronald Regan mentioned it publically for the first time as part of the Agenda for the Future discussions.

By this time there had been more than 16,000 deaths because of AIDS.

The public began to accept the fact that it is not a gay disease and extreme fear takes hold as people worry they can get it from sharing a glass or a spoon. The United States shut the borders to all HIV infected travelers and immigrants due to public outcry (SO LITTLE TIME (http://www.aegis.com/topics/timeline/default.asp).

Number of known deaths in U.S. during 1989 -- 14,544. "

During the epidemics roots it was touted as a gay disease.

For a time, it was known in medical circles as GRID, or Gay Related Immune Deficiency.AIDS initially produced many social prejudices about homosexuality and intravenous drug use, and much education was needed before the community would stop seeing AIDS as simply a 'gay disease'.Statistics would eventually show that AIDS was not confined to homosexual men (especially in the developing world where many heterosexual people contracted the disease) and that it could be contracted through the exchange of blood or semen in a variety of ways, not merely anal sex between men (AIDS (http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/pop/aids.htm).In October 1983 World Health Organization officials stated "there is no risk of contracting AIDS as a result of casual or social contact with AIDS patients"(AIDS (http://www.

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nostalgiacentral.com/pop/aids.htm).

During the 1980's many developments occurred in the fight against AIDS. One of the things that came of the epidemic was the Ryan White Care Act.

The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act is Federal legislation that addresses the unmet health needs of persons living with HIV disease (PLWH) by funding primary health care and support services that enhance access to and retention in care (RYAN WHITE CARE ACT (http://hab.hrsa.gov/history/purpose.htm)."

It was enacted by Congress in 1990 following a decade long epidemic and fear of the disease. Each year the Act assists more than half a million AIDS infected participants.

It fills in any gaps not covered by other means of insurance or payment and allows HIV and AIDS patients to continue received top level care as their disease and condition progresses (RYAN WHITE CARE ACT (http://hab.hrsa.gov/history/purpose.htm).

The AIDS epidemic of the 1980's in the United States grew at alarming rates of speed. The stigma and belief that it was confined to homosexuals fueled its spread as other risk groups ignored their risk and practiced unsafe sex and drug use. The government initially seemed to ignore the disease's insidious beginnings but was soon racing against the clock to try and eradicate it from society. Today, because of the things that occurred during the 1980's decade AIDS patients live in society with less stigma, more assistance and better care than ever before......

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