An interview with AIDS Network’s Karen Dotson
AIDS is still with us
AIDS is still with us
By Jonathan Gramling
While public attention has been focused on the impact of the economic downturn and newly emerging
infectious diseases like the swine flu, AIDS/HIV still remains a major health problem, particularly in the African
American community. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control, while African Americans make up 13
percent of the population, in 2005, they made up 50 percent of the diagnosed cases in the 50 states and
Washington, D.C. And while medical advances in the area of prescription drugs have slowed the rate of death
from AIDS/HIV, it is still a killer disease. There is no cure or vaccine against AIDS.
Since March 2008, Karen Dotson has headed the AIDS Network, a non-profit organization based in Madison
that provides HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention services in a 13 county area with an annual budget of $1.8
million and 27-29 staff people. Dotson came to the position with an extensive background in community service
and has a Bachelor’s degree in business administration and a Master’s in healthcare administration. “I’ve always
believed in working with the community and volunteering in different capacities with people that have
challenges,” Dotson said during an interview in her office at 600 Williamson Street.
While AIDS/HIV was at the fore of public consciousness back in the 1980s and 1990s, it has started to drift
from public view. “I think people are getting a little bit lax with it right now because they feel they don’t have to
worry about it as much with all of the medications that are out there,” Dotson said. “But there still isn’t a cure.
Sometimes people get a little bit more comfortable with it than they should. I think it is still out there perhaps
Karen Dotson took over the helm of the AIDS
Network in 2008.
Network in 2008.
because I live it every day as far as working with the different groups goes and the things that we have to do to make sure they get what they need.”
While there have been great advances made in terms of the drugs that are available, basic breakthroughs have been at a standstill. “There’s a lot of research
going on,” Dotson said. “But I think more could be going on in that area. They used to have medical trials going on. Right now, there isn’t a lot of that going on
the way it used to be. I think the federal government withdrew some of those things because they weren’t being actively responsive to what they thought would
happen in that area.”
The greatest increases in HIV/AIDS infection has been African American women. That rate of increase can be attributed, in part, to what is going on with
some men. “Some people have high-risk behaviors and so they need to take precautions. Some people are in denial. When you talk about increases in HIV/AIDS
among African American women, their man, if they come out of prison, might be in denial. ‘Yes, I did some risky behaviors before.’ Or they may be bi-sexual and
don’t want to admit to it. There are circumstances where people aren’t really owning up to some aspects of their lifestyles or behavior.”
Dotson feels that it is very important to educate women about HIV/AIDS and to empower them. “Sometimes it’s a matter of empowering women in different
areas,” Dotson said. “Self-esteem can be a challenge with some of the women. They are dealing with their men and sometimes they are hesitant to say ‘Yes, I
want to make sure you are wearing a condom.’ It is important to empower women to be knowledgeable about some of the complications and challenges that are
out there. Education is really a key effort. Educating this community is important in terms of what is going on. We need to make people aware. Education is
power.”
While there was a whole generation educated about AIDS/HIV when it was a major public agenda item, a whole new generation is growing up that is
sexually active and not as aware of the dangers. “We’re starting to see that some of the younger people are being infected with it more so than some of the older
ones,” Dotson said. “There is kind of a gap when you look at it. The younger ones feel like ‘Oh there is medication. Magic Johnson looks good.’ So they feel they
don’t have to worry about it as much. They also need to learn about body piercing and sharing needles in different ways and getting tattoos. I think it is a gap in
knowledge as far as when you start looking at people not really feeling as though they are doing risky behaviors. Or they feel that if they do get it, they can just
get the medication and go on with their lives. But people don’t really have the knowledge or understand the complications with the medication and the
challenges that you have with that medication. It’s not like taking an aspirin. HIV is an interesting disease as far as some of the challenges you face. People take
the medication and all of a sudden their body gets smart. The disease overpowers that medication and then they have to add some other medication with it to
make it more effective with you. That’s why they call it a cocktail of drugs. They have to change and add to the array of drugs that you take.”
And in terms of the healthy appearance that some celebrities with AIDS might have, according to Dotson, the appearance doesn’t always tell the full story.
“Magic Johnson may look good on camera and he is probably living a pretty good lifestyle, but you never know the complications that he might be having,”
Dotson said. “You don’t know the types of medications he’s taking and the kinds of challenges he has with those medications. People are still dying from it. And
there is a stigma that goes along with having AIDS. There can be challenges for people with HIV in terms of family and friends being accepting of it. Sometimes
people aren’t treated the same.”
AIDS Network works to ensure the proper treatment of individuals through their educational, intervention and legal services. And whole they have staff to
provide basic technical services, Dotson feels it is their volunteers who make them an effective organization. “The reason we call ourselves AIDS Network is
because we are just the network of different organizations and individuals assisting us in moving forward,” Dotson said. “Volunteers sometimes sit at the front desk
because we don’t always have paid staff. And people take clients to different appointments or to food pantries. We have volunteers who help clients move to new
locations.”
While the public focus may not be there, Dotson and AIDS Network are focused on reducing the incidence of AIDS/HIV and ensuring that infected
individuals live as normal of a life and receive the best medical care possible.
While there have been great advances made in terms of the drugs that are available, basic breakthroughs have been at a standstill. “There’s a lot of research
going on,” Dotson said. “But I think more could be going on in that area. They used to have medical trials going on. Right now, there isn’t a lot of that going on
the way it used to be. I think the federal government withdrew some of those things because they weren’t being actively responsive to what they thought would
happen in that area.”
The greatest increases in HIV/AIDS infection has been African American women. That rate of increase can be attributed, in part, to what is going on with
some men. “Some people have high-risk behaviors and so they need to take precautions. Some people are in denial. When you talk about increases in HIV/AIDS
among African American women, their man, if they come out of prison, might be in denial. ‘Yes, I did some risky behaviors before.’ Or they may be bi-sexual and
don’t want to admit to it. There are circumstances where people aren’t really owning up to some aspects of their lifestyles or behavior.”
Dotson feels that it is very important to educate women about HIV/AIDS and to empower them. “Sometimes it’s a matter of empowering women in different
areas,” Dotson said. “Self-esteem can be a challenge with some of the women. They are dealing with their men and sometimes they are hesitant to say ‘Yes, I
want to make sure you are wearing a condom.’ It is important to empower women to be knowledgeable about some of the complications and challenges that are
out there. Education is really a key effort. Educating this community is important in terms of what is going on. We need to make people aware. Education is
power.”
While there was a whole generation educated about AIDS/HIV when it was a major public agenda item, a whole new generation is growing up that is
sexually active and not as aware of the dangers. “We’re starting to see that some of the younger people are being infected with it more so than some of the older
ones,” Dotson said. “There is kind of a gap when you look at it. The younger ones feel like ‘Oh there is medication. Magic Johnson looks good.’ So they feel they
don’t have to worry about it as much. They also need to learn about body piercing and sharing needles in different ways and getting tattoos. I think it is a gap in
knowledge as far as when you start looking at people not really feeling as though they are doing risky behaviors. Or they feel that if they do get it, they can just
get the medication and go on with their lives. But people don’t really have the knowledge or understand the complications with the medication and the
challenges that you have with that medication. It’s not like taking an aspirin. HIV is an interesting disease as far as some of the challenges you face. People take
the medication and all of a sudden their body gets smart. The disease overpowers that medication and then they have to add some other medication with it to
make it more effective with you. That’s why they call it a cocktail of drugs. They have to change and add to the array of drugs that you take.”
And in terms of the healthy appearance that some celebrities with AIDS might have, according to Dotson, the appearance doesn’t always tell the full story.
“Magic Johnson may look good on camera and he is probably living a pretty good lifestyle, but you never know the complications that he might be having,”
Dotson said. “You don’t know the types of medications he’s taking and the kinds of challenges he has with those medications. People are still dying from it. And
there is a stigma that goes along with having AIDS. There can be challenges for people with HIV in terms of family and friends being accepting of it. Sometimes
people aren’t treated the same.”
AIDS Network works to ensure the proper treatment of individuals through their educational, intervention and legal services. And whole they have staff to
provide basic technical services, Dotson feels it is their volunteers who make them an effective organization. “The reason we call ourselves AIDS Network is
because we are just the network of different organizations and individuals assisting us in moving forward,” Dotson said. “Volunteers sometimes sit at the front desk
because we don’t always have paid staff. And people take clients to different appointments or to food pantries. We have volunteers who help clients move to new
locations.”
While the public focus may not be there, Dotson and AIDS Network are focused on reducing the incidence of AIDS/HIV and ensuring that infected
individuals live as normal of a life and receive the best medical care possible.