HIV/AIDS AND HOW IT AFFECTS SOCIETY 2
HIV/AIDS and how it Affects Society
HIV/AIDS is among the top events of the twentieth-century that continues to affect the
society to date. It is in 1981 that AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), a new
syndrome, was first detected among homosexuals in the United States of America (Brisibe,
2003). Later in 1983, the etiological agent, HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus) had been
identified. It became evident that the virus had spread, largely unnoticed, in the entire world by
the mid-1980s. The spread of HIV/AIDS has had a number of adverse effects on the society. For
instance, HIV/AIDS affects the economy of the society at large, causes psychological problems
when a person in the family becomes affected, and the pandemic limits the family’s ability to
cater for itself. Social discrimination and stigmatization is another painful thing that families
have to contend with due to HIV/AIDS.
The HIV/AIDS pandemic hits the economy hard with its impact on labor and
productivity by crippling the most productive people in the society. In the US, it is estimated that
one in six big companies and one in fifteen small companies has or has ever had an employee or
employees suffering from HIV/AIDS (Bates & Thompson 2003). As the Center for Disease
Control (CDC) statistics indicate a rise in the number of infected people and the resultant
increasing longevity of persons that live with the virus continues to pose severe problems for
employers and workmates of people with HIV/AIDS. The major conflict, as far as employee-
employer relations is concerned, arises when high-cost lifesaving therapies lie beyond the reach
of workers, especially those that are not covered by employee healthcare schemes or insurance
plans.
Employee incapacitation due to HIV/AIDS has led to the reduction in family incomes. In
essence, HIV/AIDS impacts negatively on family income as it limits the ability of the members
