Assignment task:
Both COVID-19 and HIV share, in common, issues related to virus transmission and individuals' perceptions about risk and the importance of behavior change (e.g., decreasing risky sexual behavior or wearing masks during a pandemic). We also know that stress has effects on immune system functioning and that many people are having difficulty coping with a multitude of different stressors during the current pandemic. We should note that many of these same stressors occurred in the early days of the HIV epidemic when relatively little was known about the virus and risks of transmission.
So here are my questions for you:
1. Given what you have learned about psychoneuroimmunology, the immune system, HIV, and COVID-19, what kinds of behavioral strategies do you think you (and others) should consider using in order to reduce the effects of stress on immune system functioning and physical health?
2. What factors do you use in evaluating your personal risk of exposure to, and infection from, viruses such as COVID-19 or HIV?