Issue
In the 1980’s when people became aware of HIV/AIDS it was a huge issue. It was a new disease. Many people were getting the disease and dying from it. Over the years HIV/AIDS awareness has been decreasing due to the fact people are able to manage the disease. There are still a few campaigns going on such as (RED) and Viva Glam by MAC Cosmetics but that is not enough. There are reasons to be aware of HIV/AIDS around the world and especially in the United States. In 2005 it is estimated that there were 40,608 AIDS cases diagnosed and 16,316 deaths. In the United States 421,873 people were living with AIDS.
Causes
HIV/AIDS can be sexually transmitted through oral, vaginal and anal sex, as well as, through the blood such as blood transfusions, which is quite rare. HIV/AIDS can also be transmitted through sharing needles from one another for drugs. And it can go from a mother to her child through the shared blood circulation as well as during nursing in the mother’s milk. HIV/AIDS can affect anyone.
Effects
HIV which is a virus called Human Immunodeficiency Virus attacks the immune system and leaves the body more vulnerable to different infections and cancers. Common bacteria and viruses that are normally not serious in healthy immune systems can become deadly for those with AIDS.
HIV when first infected can produce no symptoms. Although most people normally experience symptoms such as a fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes and a sore throat. Those symptoms usually appear after two weeks of being infected. Some people however can go years without ever having any symptoms. People with AIDS usually experience fevers, swollen glands, sweats, chills, weight loss and weakness.
Treatment/Management
There currently is no cure for AIDS or HIV. Treatments are available to delay the disease and help those who have developed the symptoms.
There is an antiretroviral therapy out that does help suppress the replication of HIV. It is called HAART, which is a combination of antiretroviral agents that has been quite effective in reducing the number of HIV particles that are in the blood stream. This treatment helps the immune system recover and improve the T-cell count. Although HAART helps suppress HIV it does not stop it from being transmitted to another person. Even with this treatment there is still complications, such as the side effects for each medication used.
Prevention
Some ways to prevent getting HIV/AIDS is to not to share needles. Avoid contact of another person’s blood. One should ask their partner their HIV status. Practice safe-sex using condoms although abstinence is the safest choice. If you are an HIV-positive mother to not breastfeed your child. If you are an HIV-positive woman who would like to get pregnant seek information about the risks, and medication to lessen the chance of the baby being born with HIV.
Audience
The target audience is everyone, since anyone can be affected by HIV/AIDS. It is not limited to just homosexuals, woman, blacks, or even children. HIV/AIDS does not make any exceptions for age, gender, ethic background, or sexual preference.
Format
The formats to be used to help make people more aware of HIV/AIDS would be posters, billboards, a pamphlet, and short flash movie. The billboards would be placed on major highways. While the posters would be used at bus stops since quite a few people take public transportation. The pamphlet that comes with a button that would be handed out at HIV/AIDS awareness programs/events, as well as when someone buys a product that has some or all of it’s profits going towards HIV/AIDS. The flash movie would be shown on TV.