An Analysis On The Social Exclusion Of AIDS Patients

AIDS is the acronym of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome which is a infectious disease harmful to human health and socioeconomic development. It is had particular attention for no effective curing method and medicine until now. Therefore, AIDS is also named the Century Epidemic and Super Cancer. AIDS is not only a medical issue but social problem. In recent years, as the number of AIDS cases around China rapidly increases, it has been a serous threat to the entire social and economic stability and development. While vigorously endeavor to the AIDS prevention and control, it is still faced the big difficulty of the problem of the social exclusion of AIDS patients. Especially restricted by the traditional idea and influenced by media's exaggerated account, the image of AIDS and AIDS patients is being Stigmatization, as that AIDS itself is considered as Disgraced Disease, which is made man afraid of and discriminate. The social exclusion leads to AIDS patients suffer unimaginable mental torture under extremely weak physical condition, and it compels them conceal the state of illness. Therefore, it should be, through various means, improved the knowledge level of AIDS, eliminated its Stigmatization label, lifted the social exclusion of AIDS patients and carrier. These endeavors will do help to the imminent works of AIDS prevention and control and give loving care and support for AIDS patients to get confidence in fighting against illness.This paper, basing on the field survey of Nanjing AIDS Misdignosed Center which is the pointed unit for AIDS in Nanjing city, and with the related documents and interviews with AIDS patients, tries to analyze the main aspects, causes and consequences of the social exclusion of AIDS patients.This research mainly draws the following conclusion: First, it is several aspects for the social exclusion of AIDS patients, including social system exclusion, economic exclusion, social relationship exclusion and social culture exclusion four aspects. These aspects are influenced and strengthened with each other, making severe discrimination and exclusion for AIDS patients and their family and children who are become one of the social vulnerable groups.Second, it has complex causes for the social exclusion of AIDS patients. It relates to both the AIDS biological characteristics of lethality and infectivity, and the history, culture and custom which can be interpret from shape of self nature,shape of social structure, shape of ideology and social mobility reflection.Third, it produces heavy consequences when AIDS patients suffer social exclusion. One, it makes AIDS patients intentionally conceal the state of illness, and thus aggravating the spread of viruses and increasing the difficulty of prevention and control. Two, once by the exposure of AIDS, the patients probably suffer severe discrimination and become marginal groups. Three, the family would be involved in the discrimination. Four, it goes against to the construction of a fair and justice social environment.Forth, through the interview with AIDS patients, it can be seen that they bear tremendous psychological pressure while with the illness out of fearing discrimination. They are keen to talk and long for understand and concern.Finally, this paper analyzes the effective strategies of how to resolve the social exclusion of AIDS patients to provide references for removing prejudice and discrimination, constructing scientific system of AIDS prevention and cure and epidemic control, setting up a cooperative and friendly harmonious society.