Detecting Media Bias and Propaganda - the Epidemic of Hiv in Saint Petersburg

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OUTCOME OF THE NEWS

The locals of St. Petersburg are gaining awareness about this matter and they are willing to prevent this disease from spreading by spreading awareness amongst people who are drug addicts or involved in having intercourse with prostitutes. Grau et al. (2013) state that health experts, community group organizers and other individuals who want to serve the society are involved in counseling the people about HIV and how to prevent it from being spreading among other people, IDUs, alcoholics, and other drug users.

Russian government has taken this matter very seriously in the recent years as they have observed that each year more and more people are getting infected with HIV. The Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation (2016) has issued a state level strategy in order to combat the spread of HIV in Russia. The strategy consists of the following points: The availability of HIV screening and testing, the share of HIV-positive patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in relation to the total HIV-positive patients which are currently under observation at outpatient hospitals.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Russia has the most HIV-positive patients in the world, 1.2 million in 2014.

Saint Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia with the population of approximately 6 million.

Saint Petersburg is the most HIV-infected city in Russia.

In 2004, there were 260,000 registered HIV-positive Russians, out of which 26,000 were from St. Petersburg citizens.

On 1st January 2012, 0.8% of total population of St. Petersburg was diagnosed to be infected from HIV.

61.4% of IDUs were infected with HIV in 2010 in St. Petersburg.

World Bank estimated that in 2020 in Russia, 20,000 people will be lost to AIDS.

2.3% of Russia’s total population use IDUs.

Russian government’s state strategy is to increase HIV screening and testing and to increase of antiretroviral therapy.

Local social workers of St. Petersburg are helping in the prevention of HIV by spreading awareness.

CONCLUSION

As it is mentioned in this report that media and news channel propagate some news according to their own will, sometimes to gain popularity and sometimes to bring bad name to a specific country or set of people, in this news it was found that the epidemic of HIV in Saint Petersburg was not at such point which was being shown in the media, on news channels and on different websites in the form of articles. It was found that this news was being propagated in order to bring the bad name to the Russian government that they are not taking any steps to stop this epidemic and Russian population is decreasing because of it. the complete news has been analyzed and the results of the news are also given in this report.

References

CDC National Prevention Information Network (April 22, 2004). Half of All Prostitutes in St. Petersburg, Russia, Have HIV. Retrieved from http://www.thebody.com/content/art27309.html

Gilderman, G. (2013) Russia: death by indifference. Retrieved from: http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/russia-st-petersburg-addict-treatment-recovery-public-health-drug-user-heroin-opiate-methadone-society-HIV-AIDS

Grau, L, E., Krasnoselskikh, T, V., Shaboltas, A, V., Skochilov, R, V., Kozlov, A, P, & Abdala, N. (2013) Cultural Adaptation of an Intervention to Reduce Sexual Risk Behaviors among Patients Attending a STI Clinic in St. Petersburg, Russia. Retrieved from: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11121-012-0301-6

Osborn, A. (2016) Russia at AIDS epidemic tipping point as HIV cases pass one million – official. Retrieved from: http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-russia-aids-idUKKCN0UZ2AN

Smith, L. (2014) Why are HIV rates so high in Russia? Retrieved from: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/why-are-hiv-rates-so-high-russia-1465212

The Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation (2015) Approving the State Strategy to Combat the Spread of HIV in Russia through 2020 and beyond. Retrieved from: http://government.ru/en/docs/24983/

Vasquez, C., Lioznov, D., Nikolaenko, S., Yatsishin, S., Lesnikova, D., Cox, D., & Cooper, on behalf of the St. Petersburg-CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network Collaboration, C. (2013). Gender disparities in HIV risk behavior and access to health care in St. Petersburg, Russia. AIDS patient care and STDs, 27(5), 304-310.