Health

Language and metaphors in reporting AIDS

Reporting AIDS: an Indian media manual:

by Indeewara Thilakarathne

"Both the Moral Majority, who are recycling mediaeval languages to explain AIDS, and those ultra-leftists who attribute AIDS to some sort of conspiracy, have a clear political analysis of the epidemic.

But even if one attributes its causes to a microorganism rather than the wrath of God, or the working of the CIA, it is clear that the way in which AIDS has been perceived, conceptualised, imagined, researched and financed makes this the most political of diseases," says Dennis Altman, Australian gay right activist.

The thought provoking remarks of Australian gay activists epitomised the extent to which AIDS has been politicised, perhaps, since its very inception. One of the informative workshops conducted during the recently concluded 8th International Congress on AIDS in the Asia Pacific, was the workshop on reporting AIDS and AIDS related incidents.

As the language not only conveys raw ideas and information but also connote perceptions, it plays a vital role in de-stigmatising HIV/AIDS, conveying the idea that it is a condition which is not confined to a certain section of the population and the HIV positives or persons living with HIV, have all rights enjoyed by ordinary members of society.

One of the erroneous perceptions, thus, created is the negative perception with regard to persons living with HIV/AIDS.

Often the image conjured through the media on persons living with HIV is that of a weak person who is constantly suffering from various ailments arising from HIV/AIDS. However, the reality is that most persons living with HIV/AIDS are leading quite dynamic lives and substantially contributing to economy as any other citizen, thanks to ARV (antiretroviral drugs).

Although the Sri Lankan situation with regard to social stigma has not substantially been improved, it may not be as bad as in India where there are several notable cases of schools refusing to admit children living with HIV/AIDS.

The case of Benson and Bancy, where a brother and sister from Kerala who were born with HIV/AIDS, is an example of the stigma, discrimination and isolation that children face, particularly in the Asian context. On the ground of them being HIV positive, five schools in India refused to admit them. Social stigma was so high that the children were forced to receive education at home at state expense.

Against this backdrop, confidentiality of persons living with HIV/AIDS, especially children is as important as the story and its possible fall outs. There are examples in India where negative stories had, positive impact on society and help reduce the social stigma associated with AIDS.

However, one should exercise care in the use of language and adjectives which would, in some instances, demonise AIDS. For instance, often used phrases such as 'killer disease', 'HIV victims' have contributed to the creation of wrong perception and social stigma of the transmission of HIV/AIDS and sex.Particularly in the Asian context, the stigma is very high with regard to men who have sex with men (MSM) which is banned by law.

This has indirectly contributed to the spread of AIDS among MSM communities across the region though they have come out of their cocoons and are now actively engaged in HIV/AIDS prevention programmes.

Another important aspect in reporting AIDS and people living with HIV/AIDS is that stories and feature should accommodate their voice and facts and figures should be double checked with relevant authorities, NGOs and officials involved in AIDS prevention programmes.

Issues such as gender, sexuality myths and misconceptions regarding AIDS should also be taken into consideration when compiling a report on people living with HIV/AIDS.

Some of the pitfalls in featuring or reporting on AIDS is that most of the journalist use jargon-studded language which is far from clear and lucid that may, sometimes, compound the situation by reinforcing myths and misconceptions regarding the condition. The language and the metaphor should also be politically and culturally appropriate.

Although pictures may tell a thousand words, they also have the potential of conveying an entirely different message, almost killing the story. As the language shape perceptions and opinions on AIDS, the language used by journalists and feature writers should be appropriate to the epidemic.

Some of the cardinal facts that journalists should adhere to, are constructive and appropriate language, avoid all kinds of sensationalism, not fueling stereotype beliefs and misconceptions, the choice of language devoid of prejudice, suitability to target audience.

It is also important that the language and metaphor used must be one that is non-judgmental and non-discriminatory.

As HIV/AIDS involves a lot of technical details, the final copy of features or report should be technically accurate, though technical details can be diluted to a certain extent.

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Hope with Arogya

A centre to facilitate medical treatment for the disabled soon:

by Rosanne Koelmeyer Anderson

Arogya, a charitable project , a treatment centre to facilitate hi tech medical treatment and medical advice for the disabled will be opened shortly by Dr. Prem Pillay, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon of the Asian Brain ,Spine and Nerve Centre Singapore together with Rev Unapana Ariya Dhamma to uplift patient care in Sri Lanka.

Dr Pillay has expressed his willingness to assist the Buddhist Association with his expertise and hereby spearhead the project.

The centre will be set up at Malabe on a plot of land donated by Jagath Sumathipala,President of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress(ACBC).

Dr. Prem Pillay has been visiting Sri Lanka for over a considerable period of time to facilitate free medical advice to disabled patients, children and adults, as well as to see old patients who seek treatment related to the brain, spine and nerves.

The Asian Brain, Spine and Nerve Centre, an international clinic and brainchild of Dr. Prem Pillay will assist Arogya in a big way. Doctors from overseas will come to the treatment centre and provide the software ,training and education to uplift the standards of advanced medical care for the disabled while day to day care will be facilitated by our very own Sri Lankan medical staff ,Dr Prem explained.

Spine, brain and nerve problems are common issues which are on the increase today and need to be addressed with care and proper hi tech medical treatment. Dr. Prem's advice to patients is "Do not wait till the pain becomes intolerable, the earlier you are diagnosed and treated the better the outcome. Lower back pain is a very common phenomenon.

Ninety per cent of low back pain occurs when a nerve that travels from the spinal cord through the bones of the spine is pinched or irritated. This results in the muscles of the back tensing up thus causing the patient low back pain. The solution to this problem depends on why the nerve is irritated in the first place.

The spinal cord which arises in the brain is an intricate network of nerves, discs and bones. It is protected by the spinal column as it runs down the back. Since all our body movements are controlled by the spinal cord the nerves that run out of the spinal cord to control our movements is called the motor nerves.

Nerves that run from the spinal cord to the brain are the sensory nerves and they take messages from the body back to the brain. Together, both the motor and sensory nerves form more than 50 nerve roots, which run through holes called foramina, in the bones of the spinal column. Each one of these nerves roots can potentially cause a problem.

As the spinal cord is protected by a soft, flexible disc that separates each bone (vetebrae) in the spine. This disc acts as a shock absorber. The outside rim of the disc is rigid, but the inside is soft and gel-like. Any sort of activity, stress or a mechanical problem in the spine can cause a disc to bulge. The bulging disc may put pressure on a nerve root causing low back pain or leg pain in the patient.

In more severe cases, the disc bulge may cause disc rupture or herniation putting even greater pressure on the nerve root. The nerve roots of the lower back cause not only back pain but also pain that radiates down one or both legs. There may also be muscle weakness, numbness, and changes in reflexes in the legs. The key to treatment is to relieve nerve irritation.

Although low back pain can be quite debilitating and severe, in 90 per cent of patients the condition improves without surgery. However, 50 per cent of these patients will have a recurrent episode within one year.

The aging spine

Our spine also ages just like the rest of our body. As we age, our bodies dehydrate (lose water) and in the spine this causes the discs that cushion and separate our vertebrae to dry out. They become less effective as shock absorbers.

The ligaments and bones in the spinal cord also become pliable (or flexible). This results in narrowing of the spinal canal stenosis. In some of us this narrowing can compress the nerve roots in the lower back causing back pain and other symptoms when standing or walking. This condition is' very treatable.

If conservative treatment (anti-inflammatory medication, limited activity, physiotherapy) fails, surgery, needs to be considered. An MRI of the lumbar-sacral spine helps the neurosurgeon determine the diagnosis and severity of the problem.

The findings of the MRI are compared with the patient's symptoms before the neurosurgeon considers a procedure.

Neck pain

Neck pain or discomfort in the neck is also a common reason for patients to seek medical care. A muscle spasm brought on by poor posture ,sleeping position or stress is the most frequent causes of neck pain but an aching neck can be a symptom of a more serious problem, so consult a physician or neurosurgeon at the earliest as these symptoms are all interconnected to the brain and the smooth functioning of the brain.

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