Hidden Disease, Crouching Susceptibility

 

 

Poverty does not receive the same amount of assistance or emphasis as HIV. In fact, discrimination, fear, and alienation of the poor is normative and recommended; while the same behavior is prejudice to HIV victims. Poverty attacks the mental, physical, and financial abilities of a being, right down to the point of defeat.  Poverty is a cancer of societal function, and if unable to function in a society, while too poor to change locations, people fail to survive. The same internal aspects plaguing the T-helper cells, is occurring in our societal system. The human immunodeficiency virus attaches to cells of the body and replaces its’ RNA into the nucleus, thus creating more of itself. Wealthy or better-off citizens buy low income property, rearrange the culture and increase the cost of living, and rapidly replace areas filled with the poor. This process of gentrification comes without warning or notice. There are also no preventative methods. Since this is so, how is it that HIV receives major recognition and aggressive assistance, while those in poverty hang at the wayside? There are two primary reasons: The causes of poverty are stigmatized and not well understood on a societal level and because there is a societal focus on health being solely physical and of biological origin. Health psychologist and applied social psychologist can intervene in the way we view health and how we promote effective measures in societal treatment of poverty.

The effects of HIV, just as well as the cause, are considered with great significance and importance. People can identify the routes of transmission and the effect on the body easily. What is not understood about poverty are the causes and effects. Lack of financial resources prevents obtaining adequate health care or housing opportunities. As a result of living in a poor neighborhood, it is likely for crime to occur (Garbarino, 1976). There is a greater risk of theft, vandalism, and assault attached. For younger children, this is very detrimental to their development and can counter the positive values taught in the home. Younger children are educationally impacted, as their parent(s) is unable to afford private or higher quality schooling, they will be forced to accept the often-times terrible public school system nearby. But what causes this all? How does it get to this point? For minorities, it may be a generational factor. The effects of discrimination are not just instant and immediate to the ones who experienced it firsthand. It is continued through familial ties, with the family who faces discrimination being disadvantaged from opportunity exclusion even after new generations arise. Poverty may be a natural result of regional opportunities. Take Baltimore for instance, what was once a robust industrial city, is now facing great unemployment and poverty in many areas. Exportation of factory jobs and the move from industrialized jobs left the economy devastated (Vicino, 2008). Now one-quarter of the population lives in poverty (Kilar, 2012). Whether a result from internal or external factors, it is imperative to acknowledge the cause of poverty when assessing for treatments. Rather than taking a dismissive stance or negatively stereotyping the poor as lazy, uneducated, immoral people, it is better to rationalize the entire experience of not having resources. As health and applied social psychologist, health screenings on stress-induced disorders, informational sessions about proper emotional-behavioral responses, and training workshops on social skills and life skills should be incorporated into the efforts to reduce the symptoms of poverty.

Mental health has become a recent concern with the politicizing of gun usage and homicidal attacks. Prior to, mental health has had a difficult time receiving any attention. This may stem partly from the ignorance to the psychological effects on physiology or vice versa. Pseudo-psychology such as tarot card readings and palm readings, have not helped psychology’s plight in being taken as a serious science either. Because mental processes are not tangible, many fail to exclude their responsibility in specific outcomes. Applied social psychologist and health psychologist know how important these processes can be. Tackling why people don’t take better protective measures to avoid HIV transmission can lessen the incidence of the disease. Creating advertisements and confidential question hotlines for at-risk populations may decrease the societal prevalence of HIV also. As stated previously, the cause and effects of poverty aren’t as well understood as HIV. Since this is so, it is much more difficult provide precaution and advice on prevention and treatment. The population at hand must first be introduced to the psychological foundations integrated into poverty. Feelings of hopelessness, psychological burnout, depression, and anxiety are all possible symptoms of poverty (Winer, N.D.). If these are ignored, it is likely a snowball effect could take place, and complete emotional burnout develops. Not only are our mental states effected by this stress, but our bodies as well. Psychological stress prompt the body to release stress hormones such as epinephrine and norepinephrine (Sapolsky, 2004). Overtime, this stress response wears the body down. Metabolic disorders like diabetes, or even hypertension, or gastric ulcers will develop (Sapolsky, 2004). To tackle the health implications those in poverty face, efforts must be made to challenge the current understanding of health. Workshops explaining the interaction between emotion, behavior, and health so that people can understand how to control their emotional and behavioral responses to cope with stress. Training should also be given that includes a biopsychosocial approach to preventative healthcare.

Summarily, poverty and HIV prevail under the same conditions. Lack of proper insight on the cause and effect propagate their advancement and hinder progress in treatment. Poverty, though not considered along the same lines as HIV, has specific symptoms and signs, an affects all or part of an organism’s functioning. Poverty is very much so a disease. As an applied social psychologist and as a health psychologist, measures can be taken to improve the status of citizens facing both diseases. Tackling the lack of knowledge on poverty, increasing awareness of the biopsychosocial context of poverty, and emphasizing available community resources are all areas that both psychologist may include. The aim remains to challenge a brutal cycle and alleviate future generations from experiencing the perils of HIV and poverty both.

References

Keniston, K. (1979). Do Americans really like children? In D. G. Gil (ed.), Child abuse and violence (pp. 274-285). New York: AMS Press.

 

Kilar, Steve (2012, September 20). “Baltimore’s poverty rate unchanged at 1 in 4 residents: More young Marylanders insured following healthcare overhaul”. Baltimore Sun. RetrievedOctober 7, 2012

 

Garbarino, J. (1986). Can Americans afford the luxury of childhood? Child Welfare, 65, 119-128.

 

 Vicino, Thomas J. (2008). Transforming Race and Class in Suburbia: Decline in Metropolitan Baltimore. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9780230605459.

 

Winer, Abbey. How Poverty and Depression Impact a Child’s Social and Emotional Competence. Center for Poverty Research,retrieved from: http://poverty.ucdavis.edu/policy-brief/how-poverty-and-depression-impact-childs-social-and-emotional-competence

 

Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why zebras don’t get ulcers. New York: Times Books.

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