Ethnography Summary
Stephen Muldoon interviewed client of AIDS Ministries
Date: 3/7/17
Type: Interview
Location: LaFun
Team participants: Conducted interview over phone with group
User Characteristics:
Previously incarcerated individual with AIDS
Male, 20-30’s
Optimistic and in good spirits; young and vibrant
What is this person’s biggest point of pain? Similar to the other individual, this man currently facing trouble finding a job and housing due to previous history. Medication for his AIDS is not supported by the government past prison and AIDS Ministries can only support past 2 months; he is also on house arrest. However, this younger man has the support of his family and thus has a place to stay with financial support.
Memorable quote from interview: “My family definitely helps, if I didn’t have them I would be homeless or probably dead. Staying clean is my main focus at the moment.”
Top 3 Learnings:
- Most of the people stricken with AIDS within the community get it from dirty needles
- No consistent help from outside; family a necessity
- Economic backgrounds of these individuals is a decisive factor between life and death
Key Insight – (1) Individual not really concerned with the future (2) Having the family completely changed the man’s outlook on his on life (3) Might not understand the gravity of his situation yet, in particular with the AIDS virus