 HIV/AIDS is the Human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immunodeficiency syndrome  Is a disease of the human immune system caused by the infection of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

 More than 40 million people now live with HIV/AIDS.  Globally, 85% of HIV transmission is through heterosexual intercourse  Infections in women are increasing. Worldwide, 42% of people with HIV are women.  3.3 million of them are under the age of 15.  In 2011, an estimated 2.5 million people were newly infected with HIV. › 330,000 were under the age of 15.  Every day nearly 7,000 people contract HIV—nearly 300 every hour.  In 2011, 1.7 million people died from AIDS. › 230,000 of them were under the age of 15.  Since the beginning of the epidemic, more than 60 million people have contracted HIV and nearly 30 million have died of HIV-related causes.

 Through bodily fluids  Unprotected sexual intercourse › Including anal intercourse and oral intercourse  Contaminated blood transfusions  From mother to child during pregnancy if mother is positive.

 Having Safe and Protected sex.  There is still no cure or vaccine available to end HIV/AIDS.

 I really think that the HIV/AIDS messages are social constructions because we let it grow and more people get infected with the virus. We humans can control the spread of HIV/AIDS.

 We can see a lot of different advertisements in print media as well as ad campaigns that talk about HIV/AIDS.

 The different campaigns made to create awareness about HIV/AIDS have different messages aimed at the public. Some of those messages are: › Protect yourself › Get tested for HIV/AIDS › Creating awareness that the disease exists and it is real

 Watney’s “AIDS on Television” talks about how many people have the concept that HIV/AIDS is a disease that only homosexuals get. Watney says “The active sexual partner injects infected semen into the anus of the passive partner. These people have sex twenty to thirty times a day. A man comes along and goes from anus to anus in a single night”

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 I really think that making ads and campaigns to create awareness about HIV/AIDS is a great contribution to society because through the different media outlets, the messages will get to people and may have an impact on the lives of many people.  Educating people to protect themselves when they are going to have sexual contact or contact with blood is important because it can save lives. Also, educating people to get tested is very important because that way, the HIV/AIDS virus does not keep spreading as much as it has over the past 20 years.

 Society sees HIV/AIDS as a disease that is for homosexuals and that is completely false due to the fact that 85% of HIV transmission is through heterosexual intercourse.  Our society is scared of contracting the virus but many people don’t take the necessary precautions to protect themselves from such vicious virus.

 The topic about HIV/AIDS interests me because it is a very serious and threatening disease that is very active specially for people in my age range. It is very important for people to know what HIV does, what could happen if you get the virus, how to prevent it and ways to protect the people around you.