Judgmental Reactions and Unfriendly Reception - Essay Example

Different people have different perceptions and reactions towards people who are inflicted with such diseases especially when the disease is either Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

            Shumaker et al (2009) explored the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change that was proposed by Prochaska et al.  This model explores how a population or certain individuals move forward towards accepting and sustaining what is called the “health behavior change of optimal health.”  What makes this framework different is that the model integrates various principles and processes and makes it into a harmonious thought that will make understanding of psychotherapy and behavior change better.

Every person’s reaction to the unknown will be considered judgmental and discriminatory.  There have been theories proposed for health promotion and health behavior practices.  However, the effectiveness of the different theories is always on a case-to-case basis.  There is still no generalization on how people will react to situations that health conditions are involved.  Behavioral change is also noted to occur at different levels i.e. individual, organizational, and community.  Most of the time, the individual perception can be manipulated or influenced by a larger population.  These organizations or communities may or may not have the same perception that the individual has (National Cancer Institute, 2005).

Relating the transtheoretical model to the incident that happened in Texas, change happens as issues unfold and time progress.  The women who were victimized by an HIV patient suffered not just relationship trauma but also social trauma.  These women did not know that their partner was an unfaithful man who had multiple partners within the relationship.  None of them knew the risk that they have encountered when the moment they entered into the relationship.  When these women walk down the street without the public’s knowledge that they are HIV positive, they are just like any normal people.  Once the public gain awareness that these women have the virus, they will be prejudged as either a whore or disrespectful people.  Yet once the public gets to know the whole story, these women are just victims of a very crazy and unreasonable man.

            There are stages that the model suggested.  The female victims will be going through stages where the result is uncertain.  Such an event has left these women distressed every single time that the event will be remembered.  Even if there are no theories with regard to such reactions towards people who have an issue, a person does not have to judge another outright without knowing anything about the person’s background or even just how they acquired the ailment.