Strategies for Macro-Level Interventions
STRATEGIES for MACRO-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS
Walden University
Course: PSYC 4006 Global Perspectives in Psychology
2/8/2013
“Fighting the Global AIDS Epidemic”
HIV/AIDS has been a current global issue in the news since the discovery of the disease in the late 1970’s to now in 2013. Over three decades of new developments such as medications, treatments, and diagnosed cases exist. Fighting the global AIDS epidemic is still as much of a challenge today as it was yesterday. In the beginning, HIV/AIDS diagnosis was basically a death sentence, but since then millions of dollars have been spent on researching the cause and effect of the disease as well as treatment options available (Investing daily, 2013). I will explain a macro-level intervention that might address the issue of AIDS epidemic. Then I will discuss the benefit of having a psychologist involved. Lastly, I will describe a bottom-up, middle-out, and top-down change strategy a psychologist might use and explain how he or she might use it.
There are many who are not aware of their HIV/AIDS status and one macro-level intervention that might address that issue could be mandatory testing as a part of yearly physical exams. Of course yearly physical exams must first be mandatory for everyone if this intervention is to be effective. In addition to mandatory testing, informational data on preventing the spread and lowering the risk of HIV/AIDS should be made available to everyone.
The benefit of having a psychologist involved in such an epidemic as HIV/AIDS is quite simple. The psychologist can aid in the behavioral change that could help with preventing the spread of the disease by educating on a global scale. For example, there is a global HIV Prevention Working Group (PWG) that the psychologist can join and offer ideas as a part of this collaboration among several other professionals. Reports from the PWG focus specifically on behavioral HIV prevention. Wider delivery of effective
Walden University
Course: PSYC 4006 Global Perspectives in Psychology
2/8/2013
“Fighting the Global AIDS Epidemic”
HIV/AIDS has been a current global issue in the news since the discovery of the disease in the late 1970’s to now in 2013. Over three decades of new developments such as medications, treatments, and diagnosed cases exist. Fighting the global AIDS epidemic is still as much of a challenge today as it was yesterday. In the beginning, HIV/AIDS diagnosis was basically a death sentence, but since then millions of dollars have been spent on researching the cause and effect of the disease as well as treatment options available (Investing daily, 2013). I will explain a macro-level intervention that might address the issue of AIDS epidemic. Then I will discuss the benefit of having a psychologist involved. Lastly, I will describe a bottom-up, middle-out, and top-down change strategy a psychologist might use and explain how he or she might use it.
There are many who are not aware of their HIV/AIDS status and one macro-level intervention that might address that issue could be mandatory testing as a part of yearly physical exams. Of course yearly physical exams must first be mandatory for everyone if this intervention is to be effective. In addition to mandatory testing, informational data on preventing the spread and lowering the risk of HIV/AIDS should be made available to everyone.
The benefit of having a psychologist involved in such an epidemic as HIV/AIDS is quite simple. The psychologist can aid in the behavioral change that could help with preventing the spread of the disease by educating on a global scale. For example, there is a global HIV Prevention Working Group (PWG) that the psychologist can join and offer ideas as a part of this collaboration among several other professionals. Reports from the PWG focus specifically on behavioral HIV prevention. Wider delivery of effective
References: Shepard, Ben (2013). Fighting the Global AIDS Epidemic Retrieved from http://www.investingdaily.com/16156/fighting-the-global-aids-epidemic on February 8, 2013 Stevens, M. J., & Gielen, U. P. (2007). Toward a global psychology: Theory, research, intervention, and pedagogy. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates