Presentation Transcript

1. The Human Rights Status of AIDS Patients in South Korea

   Korea Alliance to Defeat AIDS (Taejon Christian International School) Jinho Choi
2. Background A person is born with the rights to live a human being. [Article 11 of KOR Constitution] Many people are living their lives with their innate human rights violated, in spite of the law. In Korea, the human rights for most people have generally improved. However, the human rights of AIDS patients have still notimproved. [Survey of AIDS patients]
3. Background According to the NHRC’s report (2005), human rights and the quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients are significantly low. - Survey: Oct.~Nov. 2005 / 255 people In the present (2010), HIV/AIDS patients do not believe that their human rights have been improved since 2005. This study began with the idea that someone will have to once again make suggestions to improve those human rights.
4. Studypurpose The purpose of this study is to raise the problem with the human rights of HIV/AIDS patients and suggest ways to improve them, by: 1) Verifying how much the human rights of HIV/AIDS patients have improved. 2) Suggesting three ways to improve the human rights and quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients.
5. Study method This study includes the following: 1) Literature review of the human rights of HIV/AIDS patients in South Korea 2) Violations of HIV/AIDS-related laws (based on the 2005 NHRC study) 3) Survey and interview on the current human rights status of HIV/AIDS patients → Results will be compared to the NHRC’s human rights study (2005) 4) Suggestion of ways to improve human rights (including changing the law)
6. Overview of HIV/AIDS HIV stands for Human Immuno -deficiency Virus. The virus locates itself in the T lymph of the human body. No symptoms. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. After about 10 years, a person with HIV will develop AIDS. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. With proper treatment, a person with HIV can greatly delay the development of AIDS.
7. Origin and infection pathways Scientists believe that humans first contracted HIV when SIV crossed the species barrier and infected humans. - e.g. Primate blood and meat HIV-1 originated from the chimpanzee (Fig. A). HIV-2 originated from the sooty mangabey monkey (Fig. B).
8. Misunderstanding about HIV/AIDS HIV is spread when an HIV infected person’s bodily fluids (blood, semen, vaginal secretions, breast milk) enter an opening in the skin. In the following cases, HIV cannot be contracted. 1) Handshakes, hugs, everyday contact 2) Eating food cooked by an infected person 3) Shared use of the restroom, bathtub, and toilet 4) Getting bitten by a mosquito
9. In Asia, the number of HIV/AIDS patients is rapidly increasing due to careless sexual activity, etc. In total, there are about 44,000,000 infected people worldwide.
10. HIV/AIDS patients in South Korea
11. Distribution of HIV/AIDS patients by gender and age
12. Infection pathways of HIV/AIDS patients by gender
13. Previous study Kwon (1997) reviewed the legal appropriateness of the background of the AIDS Prevention Law and forced diagnosis regulations. [Sung, 2002; Woo 2004] Kim (2004) mainly dealt with the human rights and right to health of HIV/AIDS patients. The Korea Federation for HIV/AIDS Prevention (2003) surveyed adults’ perception of HIV/AIDS.
14. NHRC survey (2005) The survey took place from Oct. 20, 2005 to Nov. 15 and included a total of 255 HIV/AIDS patients, in order to determine how severe and widespread the violation of HIV/AIDS patients’ human rights was. The main content of the survey included health condition, quality of life, experience with human rights violations, etc. (Status is significantly low) The NHRC recommended changes to the government’s proposal for improving the AIDS Prevention Law before the proposal was sent to Congress for review.
15. 2010 survey targeted to HIV/AIDS patients In 2005, the NHRC surveyed the human rights status of HIV/AIDS patients in South Korea. Now (2010), 5 years later, it is very meaningful to study whether the human rights status of HIV/AIDS patients has improved, and whether the suggestions by the NHRC have been reflected in the current AIDS Prevention Law. The survey took place from June 7, 2010 to July 9, 2010 and 22 HIV/AIDS patients were surveyed. The main contents of the survey included health condition, quality of life, experience with human rights violations, etc.
16. 2010 survey targeted to HIV/AIDS patients and analysis Survey results are on the next slide.
17. ① Human rights violations of HIV/AIDS patients upon their initial recognition of the disease. When HIV/AIDS patients first recognized their disease, free HIV/AIDS testing (23.8%), general medical testing desired by the patient (23.8%), and medical testing done by doctors (23.8%) were revealed to be the ways patients found out they had HIV/AIDS. Basic testing before surgery decreased from 21.7% in 2005 to 4.8% in 2010. Blood transfusion decreased from 11.0% in 2005 to 9.5% in 2010. Majority of patients received positive results for HIV/AIDS testing without being fully prepared to accept their infection status, which is the same as in 2005.
18. ② Effect of HIV/AIDS infection on family relationships Of the respondents, 52.7% replied that their HIV/AIDS infection status led to divorce or separation. Compared to 51% in 2005, the percentage of HIV/AIDS patients who divorced is almost equal, so HIV/AIDS infection has a great effect on marital life. The percentage of respondents who were not thinking of being involved in any more relationships increased from 53% in 2005 to 70%.
19. ③ Effect of HIV/AIDS infection on job and financial activities When HIV/AIDS patients were declared to be positive for HIV/AIDS, 19.0% were office workers, 19.0% were service workers, and 19.0% were specialists. The percentage of respondents who quit their job as a result of their HIV/AIDS infection increased from 51.2% in 2005 to 72.7%. Currently, the percentage of unemployed patients is 81.8%, a twofold increase from 44% in 2005.
20. ④ Discomfort and discrimination at hospitals 50% of respondents could not reveal their infection status to the doctor, for fear that the doctor would refuse medical treatment or other patients at the hospital would discover their status. 25% of respondents faced discrimination. Compared to half of the respondents who faced discrimination in 2005, the amount of discrimination is decreasing, but there is still much room for improvement.
21. ⑤ Restriction of physical freedom and exposure of personal information from public health center 42.8% of respondents replied that they were anxious because workers at the public health center were frequently replaced. 52.4% were ashamed when the public health center attempted to trace the infection pathway of the patient. 14.3% experienced an exposure of personal information by public health center workers to people other than their spouse. The percentage of doctors who exposed personal information greatly decreased from 45.5% in 2005 to 12.5%.
22. ⑥ Difficulties in everyday life 81.8% of respondents said that financial problems were the most difficult part of their life, 45.5% said worsening of HIV/AIDS, and 27.2% said fear of exposure of infection status. In particular, the percentage of those who said that financial problems were the most difficult part tripled from 26.6% in 2005 to 81.8%. The government must establish a detailed policy to financially support HIV/AIDS patients.
23. ⑦ Most important government policies for HIV/AIDS patients The types of health welfare services used by the respondents after HIV/AIDS infection are home care (54.5%), health consulting (45.5%), stipend (36.4%), and general consulting (13.6%). In order to improve the quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients, the most important government polices are an increase in stipend (54.5%), job training and employment (45.5%), and active campaigns for HIV/AIDS patients to change public perception (40.9%). The greatest problems with government policies is the lack of will of the government to protect and support HIV/AIDS patients (54.5%) and consideration of HIV/AIDS patients as a group of people to be managed (31.8%).
24. ⑧ Quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients ※ SF-36: a tool used to evaluate physical and mental condition through the Likert scale
25. The status of change of the AIDS prevention law
26. Case study of human rights violations A case study was conducted with patients at a shelter for those with HIV/AIDS. 1) Case 1: Separation from family 2) Case 2: Discrimination as a result of misperceptions about HIV/AIDS 3) Case 3: Exposure of infection status to others as a result of medical professionals’ carelessness 4) Case 4: Discriminatory actions by hospitals
27. Most often requested policies from the government by HIV/AIDS patients Most patients live on a monthly stipend of 400,000 won (about $350), but it is too small to live on alone. The government should offer more financial support for HIV/AIDS patients. There is a lack of government campaigns for HIV/AIDS patients. The government should tell the public that HIV/AIDS is one disease out of many, and that one cannot contract HIV/AIDS by shaking hands or eating with an HIV/AIDS patients.
28. Suggestion of ways to improve the human rights of HIV/AIDS patients in South Korea Government, AIDS-related and human rights organizations, and the press must continuously work to remove prejudice of HIV/AIDS patients. 1) The government should strongly educate schools and citizens about HIV/AIDS. 2) AIDS-related and human rights organizations must continue campaigns. 3) The press should restrain from writing articles that give a negative image of HIV/AIDS patients, and instead should write articles that give a positive message of patients.
29. Suggestion of ways to improve the human rights of HIV/AIDS patients in South Korea ※ Negative cycle of the perception of HIV/AIDS Source: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Protocol for strategic HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns (2005)”
30. Suggestion of ways to improve the human rights of HIV/AIDS patients in South Korea The government and Congress must change laws that violate the human rights of HIV/AIDS patients. Response from NHRC (Oct. 2010) Response from Congress (Oct. 2010)
31. Suggestion of ways to improve the human rights of HIV/AIDS patients in South Korea The government should show active will and execute polices that practically support HIV/AIDS patients. - The proposal made by the NHRC in 2005 didn’t have a great effect on improving the human rights of HIV/AIDS patients.
32. Conclusion (1) HIV/AIDS is one of the diseases we can see in our surroundings, and if HIV/AIDS patients manage themselves well, they can maintain a normal quality of life like diabetics and people with high blood pressure. HIV/AIDS patients are living separately from their families and facing discrimination from society, as a result of a lack of understanding about HIV/AIDS.
33. Conclusion (2) The human rights status of HIV/AIDS patients in 2010 has not improved significantly compared to that of patients in 2005. The quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients, evaluated by SF-36, has also not improved significantly from 48 points in 2005 to 51 points in 2010.
34. Conclusion (3) This report suggested three ways to improve the human rights and quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients. The greatest cause of human rights violations of HIV/AIDS patients is the misguided prejudice and lack of understanding of HIV/AIDS, so active education of citizens by the government, AIDS-related and human rights organizations, and the press was suggested. Finally, active will by the government to improve the human rights and quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients was emphasized.