Hey, Bob!

Before listening to what Bob Skinner had to say, I already had somewhat of an idea as to what it takes to treat HIV/AIDS thanks to the media, parents, teachers, and peers. However, before meeting Bob I had never met anyone who is HIV-positive (to my knowledge, at least) and was captivated by his personal story! I knew treating AIDS is expensive, but little did I know one little pill can cost $25 or more, nor was I aware of all the different symptoms one can experience with treatment medication. It’s scary, really! It was good to know there are options for the ones who wind up with HIV and don’t have the resources to take care of themselves.

I think Bob was an extreme example of what can happen when you make certain choices and don’t protect yourself. There are many more men out there like him with similar lifestyles, and you can bet Bob isn’t the only one to have unknowingly contracted HIV and passed it on to other people. His story is probably more commonly heard in the more advanced regions of the world—such as the US and Europe—where homosexuality is more widely accepted and where most of the infected have access to proper treatment. In other countries like those in Africa and Southeast Asia, treatment is not as prevalent for those who may need it, and neither are the proper education systems that aim to prevent spreading of the disease altogether. Relatively speaking, Bob is lucky!

At one point Bob mentioned that in rural areas, HIV is more commonly-spread via heterosexual intercourse than in larger, more populated areas. This is in part due to the fact that many rural schools are still teaching abstinence-only sex education to their students, and because of this, the kids aren’t learning how to protect themselves from what’s out there. In addition, many smaller towns tend to be more conservative; thus, talk of condom use and the like is often considered taboo. Education is the first step to prevention—if it’s missing, how are we supposed to ascend?!

People who live in rural regions may have a more difficult time treating a disease like AIDS just because it is so much more expensive. More often than not, the residents of these areas do not have as much money as those who live in large cities, and therefore they struggle with paying off medical bills. In addition, it’s not uncommon for rural areas to have less access to media sources than larger, more modern areas do; this may be leading to more people in rural regions not knowing they are infected and “innocently” affecting someone else. This is definitely a problem! Again, education is key.

Thank you, Bob, for your insight!