Incident for Aids - Case Study Example

Incident of Aids In the past, issues of homophobia and sexual discrimination had been major challenges for gay and bisexual males in the United States. However, the prevalence of HIV infections among this demographic group raised alarm and led to the formation of agencies that made it easy for them to come out of the closet and take responsibility for healthy sexual behaviour. These initiatives have recorded positive results, especially among white and middle-class males. Therefore, I support the philosophy that bringing them together to discuss the issue is an effective method for checking the spread of HIV.

However, the scope ought to be widened to include other men from other races and social classes. The level of diversity among the minority groups such as the Hispanics presented a major challenge for the agency, as it could not replicate the initiatives that had been successful with the original group. This was a dire phenomenon because the epidemic was rising among gay and bisexual males from these minority groups. For instance, the level of acculturation to the American ways has a huge impact on how a man would face the stigma associated with AIDS and homosexuality.

Therefore, there was need to develop different sensitive programs that would target the different groups such as the youth, recent migrants and the acculturated. Consensus building entails seeking the consent of all participants in a situation where there were differences in opinion. In formulating a Latino-oriented program, the agency consulted an expert who proposed six barriers for adoption of safer behaviour. The barriers were reduced to four after lengthy discussions, but the agency representatives still hold different opinions about the number that should be used.

In order to develop consensus I would appeal to the representatives to focus on the common interest and not their agencies’ position. In this case, the common interest will be identification of the major possible barriers. The focus group must incorporate members from all the segments of the target group. Since there are many members, it is imperative that the stakeholders command respect from the other members, who must exhibit their confidence in them. It is important to select people who have a similar perception of the issues and not those who will undermine each other.

A focus group should work towards creating a lasting solution for the issues. Therefore, they should provide this information: what they have learnt from other segments; what each group should do to achieve the goals; and ascertain the relations between the segments. The analysis of the information collected from the focus groups should be objective enough, and should identify the major points that answer the evaluation questions. The analysis helps in organization and summary of the information, which makes easier to interpret.

However, the discussions should be verified to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the information. The dissemination of the focus groups’ results should conducted in a manner that reflects the initial objectives. This information should be relevant for use in the media campaign. Clarifying these goals helps the analysts to organize a credible final report.Works CitedHalkitis, Perry N. "Discrimination and homophobia fuel HIV epidemic in gay and bisexual men." Psychology and AIDS Exchange Newsletter.

American Psychological Association, April 2012.