Advise me, please....

[geminigirl]

S., my boss was reviewing the post-test for peer educator training. One of the questions is:

HIV can be treated with Anti-biotics....

It's a true/false question.


She said, "True...HIV can be treated, not cured with antibiotics."

This is in fact not accurate. Other infections, bacterial infections which sometimes people with HIV have are treated with antibiotics.

What should I do about this?

Comments

[griffen.livejournal.com]

Tell her that it's dangerously misleading to have that answer be "true," since it's not true.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

It could be reworded something like, "Antibiotics can be used to treat the diseases that often accompany HIV infection" and be true.

[entirelysonja.livejournal.com]

J says, "Sure, HIV can be treated with antibiotics. It can also be treated with whiskey, or a mustard plaster. None of these will be effective treatments, though..."

Seriously, I think you have to tell her that you think the truth is more complicated than the way she was portraying it for the peer educators, and express your opinion that "false" is the most appropriate answer in the simplistic context of a class like that. (In other words, assume in your response that she knows what you know about the use of antibiotics in treating opportunistic infections, rather than that you think she was confusing HIV "cocktails" with antibiotics or something.)

[melebeth]

This is dangerous misinformation. Very dangerous. I'd be terrified that adolescents hearing that will think of HIV as a treatable (i.e. not serious) disease. Furthermore, as you well know, none of the HIV treatments are what are generally considered to be "antibiotics". Anti-retrovirals, protease inhibitors, and reverse transcriptase inhibitors... only one of which even fits a lose "antibiotic" definition. You need to talk to her. If she doesn't listen, you need to go over her head. It's not going to be fun, but if she really thinks that she should not have her job.

[baratron.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I agree :(

[katishna.livejournal.com]

I agree. HIV/AIDS is not a topic to pass misinformation about because someone's feelings might be hurt. It's too important to get it right. Let her know (gently but firmly) the correct answer, if she gets upset make sure she knows it's in the spirit of correct info, not to tick her off.