Download Inequality in view: The Geography of HIV/AIDS

The Geography of HIV/AIDS
A Disease of Inequality – PART 1
HIV/AIDS is one of the most serious health challenges of our time that is threatening the social
and economic development of many developing countries, especially those in Africa. This
global pandemic is one created and fuelled by severe inequality. Let’s learn more about the
geography of this disease, its global and regional impacts and what is being done to address
the issue.
ISSUE OVERVIEW
1. Test your knowledge about HIV/AIDS by completing this online quiz.
2. Use pages 411-416 to answer the questions below and the online resources.
a) Differentiate between infectious diseases and lifestyle diseases. HIV/AIDS is
considered which type of disease?
b) Define the term pandemic and explain why this term is used to describe the
HIV/AIDS situation in certain regions of the world.
c) How does the HIV/AIDS pandemic differ between Africa and North America? What
factors may explain this difference?
d) Create a brief timeline that traces the history of the pandemic.
e) Use the most recent stats from the 2012 UNAIDS Report to create a profile of the
current global HIV/AIDS pandemic. Read page 8 and take notes on the current
situation.
f) Examine page 14 and identify the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in 2011
and the number of new infections for Canada and Sub-Saharan Africa.
g) Considering what we already know about HIV/AIDS reporting, how might these data
be biased?
3. Go to GapMinder.org and use the indicators life expectancy (y axis) and People Living
with HIV. What do you notice about the graph/map?
4. Use the indicators poverty (% below $2/day) (y-axis) and People Living with HIV. Play the
timeline from the start.
a) What do you notice as the timeline plays? What might explain these changes?
b) Select 3-4 countries that appear near the end of the graph. What do they all have in
common? Is this a coincidence? Explain.
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AND IMPACTS
Brainstorm how the factors below are a) contributing to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and b) how the
pandemic is affecting these aspects of society in the countries hardest hit.
Factor
Contributing to HIV/AIDS
Impacts from HIV/AIDS
POVERTY
HEALTH CARE
EDUCATION
SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL FACTORS
GENDER
GOVERNANCE
The Geography of HIV/AIDS
A Gendered Pandemic and Finding Solutions– PART 2
HIV/AIDS has been called “The Female Pandemic” and “The Pandemic of Inequality” among
other names. It is well known women are more vulnerable to contracting HIV infection for a
variety of physiological, social and cultural reasons. Gender inequality remains the most
pressing issue that must be addressed in order to conquer the pandemic.
1. As a class, ghost read the article World Failing Africa’s Girls by Princess Kasune Zulu and
answer the analysis questions to learn more about how this pandemic is “gendered.”
Article Analysis Questions:
1. Why is AIDS considered to be a “female epidemic?”
2. Identify the reasons that make females more vulnerable to infection.
3. What is the ABC approach to dealing with the spread of HIV? In your opinion, is the
criticism of this approach valid? Explain.
4. What core issues need to be addressed in order to properly deal with the HIV/AIDS
pandemic in Africa?
2. Read “Solving Africa’s Problem” on page 414-415 in your textbook. Examine the Steps That
Need to be Taken in Africa. Identify which steps you think are useful and which ones need to be
reconsidered. Explain your choices.
3. Imagine that you have been approached by UNAIDS for ideas on a) how to decrease the
incidence of new HIV infections in Africa and b) how to help those living with the illness. In your
group, develop a list of strategies that could be implemented. Your group will share your ideas
with the class.
4. As you watch the short film Strength to Strength (0-9min), identify the ways in which World
Vision is supporting people living with HIV and the strategies used to help reduce the spread of
the infection.