Notes of Talk To St Patrick's Nurses

Notes of Talk To St Patrick's Nurses

AIDS education

AIDS (Disease)

HIV (Viruses)

Health care for LGBTQ+ people

Gay shame

LGBTQ+ discrimination

Homophobia

HIV/AIDS

25 index cards with speaking notes for talk to St. Patrick's nurses. Card 2 mentions how "any discussion of AIDS automatically touches on such volatile issues as race, sex, morality and the law." References Dr June Osborne, Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan: "The only new thing about the epidemic is the virus." Highlights that: "All the other issues are old problems that have been brought into intense focus by AIDS." Card 3 notes that the reaction of society to AIDS is to the minority groupings and references one unnamed journalist who wrote: "The poor homosexuals, they have declared war upon Nature and now Nature is exacting an awful retribution". Includes 3 examples of the public reaction to AIDS in London, Sydney and Boston. Card 4 refers to Irelands "unique position" (numbers affected by HIV/AIDS are still small), and states that: "When a diagnosis of AIDS is made there are: 1. Implications for the patient; 2. Implications for the carers; 3. Implications for significant others. States that these are the headings that will be used in the talk tonight. Card 5 is entitled "Diagnosis of AIDS. Implications for the Patient". Notes the "unsympathetic response of the public to affected homosexuals generates a sense of entrapment for most patients. Some have described AIDS as a type of prison from which there is no escape." Also notes that, on the other hand, "the diagnosis of AIDS may bring a kind of relief from the uncertainty of their pre-diagnosis condition - they know at last what they are up against. Some have found unknown strengths - so the effects are varied." End of card 5 and beginning of card 6 refer to loss of personal control, "general feeling of powerlessness" from being diagnosed with AIDS, and the feeling they have become "guinea pigs" in experimental treatments. Second section of card 6 is entitled "Self Esteem" and refers to how "AIDS is a severally stigmatising illness." Card 7 refers to social implications and occupational disruption. Card 8 discusses sexual implications. Card 9 discusses neurological implications. Card 10 refers to further emotional implications. Card 11 discusses depression and guilt. Card 12 discusses obsessions. Cards 13-24 discusses implications for the career. Card 25 concludes by referencing words from Joe, "the only man I know who has AIDS".

Arthur Leahy

Arthur Leahy Collection

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2017.21.5.1.338