Running head: FOUR IMPORTANT SOCIAL PROBLEMS 1

Four Important Social Problems in Todays Society

Nou Xiong
Sociology 301 MW 10:30AM - 11:50AM
Donnisha Lugo
February 19, 2014

















FOUR IMPORTANT SOCIAL PROBLEMS 2

Four Important Social Problems
In todays society, individuals gather to discuss issues which hold the nation back from
being the best nation possible. Once these issues are identified, rules and regulations are put forth
in hopes of diminishing or resolving them. However, even with the creation of regulations, it
does not guarantee that everyone will be helped. Sometimes those most in need, do not receive
the proper aid, for a various number of reasons. Whether these issues arise due to personal
actions or because of natural disasters, it is still the nations responsibility to come together to
find a solution. Among these subjects include the increasing cost of college, lack of resources for
AIDS, the poverty rate, and access to healthcare.
Earning a higher education is one thing that parents want most for their children; however
some parents cannot afford it. Nearly one half of all college-qualified, low-and moderate-income
high school graduates are unable to afford college (Leon-Guerrero, 2014, p.7). There are
programs such as financial aid and government grants that exist to help students with financial
problems; but even with the help of these programs, families still struggle with college fees,
which include textbooks, food, and room and board. Government regulations include The Higher
Education Act of 1965 which expanded loans and grants to help needy students and The College
Cost and Reduction and Access Act in 2007 worked to gradually reduce the rates for student
loans from 6.8 to 3.4 percent over a five-year period (Hensel, 2012). Due to college tuition
rising, students are finding alternatives in order to decrease the pressure. Shawn Whalen, the
deputy chief of staff at San Francisco State states one of the biggest shocks is when students
come in as freshmen and a semester later theres a fee increase (Caldwell, 2012). More and
more students are attending community college and living at home with family to save money,
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some students drop out due to the overbearing costs, and some put off their education due to
financial concerns.
Another social problem many countries deal with is a very dangerous, incurable virus,
knows as the human immunodeficiency virus. The most fatal stage of HIV is known as AIDS,
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. There are many ways in which HIV can be transmitted:
sexual contact, during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, occupational exposure, or as a
result of unsanitary blood transfusion or sharing needles. According to the Central Disease
Center, more than 1.1 million people in the United States are living with HIV infection, and
almost 1 in 6 are unaware of their infection (HIV, 2013). This is a major problem because by the
time the victim experiences symptoms, they have already been carrying the virus for months,
sometimes even years. Also, since so many people have HIV, in order to conserve availability in
hospitals, people are not admitted until they are in the later stages of the illness. Although HIV
does not directly lead to death, the virus does attack the immune system making the body more
susceptible to sicknesses. The estimated lifetime cost of treating someone with HIV is about
$400,000 (Szabo, 2012). Therefore many families are unable to provide the proper care for their
loved one. However those with HIV or AIDS are protected under the Americans with
Disabilities Act. This entitles them to have the same rights as those who do not carry the disease.
The Affordable Care Act was signed on March 23, 2010 by President Obama and was meant to
help Americans have secure, stable, affordable health insurance, and as of September 23, 2010,
insurers could no longer deny coverage to children living with HIV or AIDS.
Poverty is a common issue that exists in all countries. But what is poverty exactly?
Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a
doctor (Leon-Guerrero, 2014). Many people think that only the homeless live in poverty, but that
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is not true. There are two types of poverty; absolute poverty and relative poverty. Absolute
poverty is being unable to afford basic necessities for survival such as food, shelter, and clothing.
Relative poverty is when one does not achieve the average income or lifestyle enjoyed by the rest
of society. In other words, those in relative poverty can afford basic necessities, but do not have
extra money left over to splurge. Poverty threshold and poverty guidelines are the two federal
policies that measure poverty. The poverty threshold is developed by the Social Security
Administration and updated by the U.S. Census Bureau each year. In 2012, the U.S. Census
Bureau confirmed that 46.5 million people were in poverty at the time (U.S. Census Bureau,
2013). The poverty guidelines are issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
which is used to determine whether or not a family qualifies for federal programs like free lunch.
Some believe that poverty is essential to our society because the poor represent a result of
failure, which would then motivate others to work harder so that they do not end up on the streets
as well. But not all in poverty are there because of unintelligent choices, some are born into
poverty, and some are put into poverty due to natural disasters or economic crises.
The current health care system in the United States faces a lot of criticism. Many families
worry about getting sick or injured because they cannot afford the insurance. Even President
Obama admitted in his State of the Union speech that the current health care system is in need of
improvement. Children below the poverty line have lower rates of immunization and higher rates
of activity limitation because of chronic illness than children who live above the poverty line
(Leon Guerrero, 2014, p.40). Another health care issue goes directly towards the elderly because
the prescription drugs are increasing. Medicare provides some assistance, however most elderly
are paying out of pocket. The State Childrens Health Insurance and Transitional Medical
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Assistance were created to help families in need of health insurance. The Affordable Care Act
also helped cover millions of uninsured people.
Although our society is becoming more and more advanced in technology, we lack
stability when it comes to certain issues. As a result of the continuously increasing tuition costs,
spread of AIDS, poverty level, and lack of healthcare, the future generations of entrepreneurs,
lawyers, and doctors, no longer have an equal opportunity to showcase their abilities. It is the
nations responsibility to make certain that each person, despite their upbringing and current
situation, has the opportunity to accomplish a greater future.












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References
Caldwell, T. (2012). Current college students struggle to survive rising tuitions. New York Times.
Retrieved from http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/15/current-college-students-
struggle-to-survive-rising-tuitions/

Hensel, A. (2013). College costs: Understanding federal regulations.NewsNetNebraska.
Retrieved from http://cojmc.webfactional.com/2013/11/03/college-costs-understanding-
federal-regulations/

HIV in the United States: At A Glance. (2013). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/basics/ataglance.html

Leon-Guerrero, A. (2014). Social class and poverty. Social problems: community, policy and
social action (4th ed., p. 40). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE.

Szabo, L. (2012, November 27). Most young people with HIV don't know they're infected. USA
Today. Retrieved from
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/menshealth/2012/11/27/most-young-people-
with-hiv-dont-know-theyre-infected/1728049/

U.S. Census Bureau.(2013). Income, poverty, and health insurance coverage in the United
States: 2012. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved
from https://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p60-245.pdf