Hiv Prevalence And High Risk Groups

Since its identification approximately two decades ago, HIV has increasingly spread globally, surpassing expectations (1). The number of people living with HIV worldwide is estimated to be 36 million, with 20 million people having died from the disease, giving a total number of 56 million being infected (1). In 2000 alone, 5.3 million people were infected with HIV and there is potential for further spread. HIV infection rates vary all over the world with the highest rates in Sub-Saharan Africa (1). Responding to this epidemic has been a challenge as infection rates have increased worldwide despite tremendous public health efforts by nations (1). The identification of potential interventions to reduce the magnitude of the problem has

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS is a pandemic problem affecting global health. At the end of 2015, 36.7 million people were living with HIV/AIDS globally. The rate of incidence is more prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa with almost 1 in every 24 adults living with HIV/AIDS. In the united states, HIV/AIDS is a diversified health problem affecting all sexes, ages and races and involving the transmission of multiple risk behavior. However, with the introduction of various prevention programs and antiretroviral drugs, the incidence of HIV/AIDS has reduced.

An upsetting pattern has risen inside of the previous couple of years, demonstrating a relentless increment of ladies being contaminated with HIV/AIDS every year. This pattern is particularly conspicuous in sub-Saharan Africa. While the illness is contaminating more ladies than any other time in recent memory and now represents about portion of those living with HIV around

It is concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa. Approximately 1.4 million people are infected by HIV in North America to be exact. The 34 million cases globally in 2008, 22-23 million were settled on sub-Saharan Africa (Sigall K. Bell, MD, 2011, p. 38). Take in consideration that the dramatic decline in HIV/AIDS deaths, the new infections stayed at 50,000 cases a year in the United States. “Effective delivery of educational messages and reduction in high-risk behavior that increases the chances of being infected with HIV requires increased attention” (Sigall K. Bell, MD, 2011, para 2). There is concern that the rate of high-risk behavior has not only failed to decrease, it has actually increased (para 3). The shared mode of transmission is through unprotected sexual intercourse which is given to the populations amongst men who have sexual intercourse with other

Transmission of the HIV virus, as well as any other types of STDs, is a subject that needs to be discussed seriously and cautiously. There are many ways that one can acquire HIV/AIDS and it is very beneficial that every person is aware of the certain procedures to follow in order to avoid such an afflicting harm. The most common transmission of HIV is through sexual intercourse, where bodily fluids such as semen, vaginal secretions, or even blood are transferred from an HIV positive person to a non-infected person. AIDS is the deadliest sexually transmitted disease reaping about 13,700 deaths per year(Web, HIV in the US). There are approximately 36.9 million people living with the HIV virus, which is why more prevention techniques should be utilized across the globe.

The HIV epidemic affects specific populations more than others (Avert). The following statistics show the percentages of new HIV infections in the United States, in the year 2013, unless otherwise noted (Avert). Men who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for 68% of infections (Avert). Black/African Americans accounted for 46% of infections (Avert).

Public Health England released a report in 2014 on the data collected about the HIV epidemic in the United Kingdom. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are shown to be the most affected demographic group and are at the highest risk of becoming infected with HIV. In 2013, 40.4% of the 107,800 people living with HIV in the UK were MSM. The main way HIV is transmitted among MSM is through serodiscordant, unprotected intercourse, that is, one HIV-positive and one HIV-negative person having unprotected anal sex. In this case both partners are at risk. The risky partner in this context is considered to be the person whose status is unknown. It is exactly because of this ignorance and the lack of protection that HIV infection is very likely to occur. According to Public Health England, 7,200 MSM, which is 16% of the total number of MSM infected with HIV, were undiagnosed and unaware of being infected with HIV. Despite that since 1990 the proportion of MSM reporting attending sex health clinics and HIV tests has increased, there are nevertheless 2,600 newly infected MSM each year. There might be several social determinants of health that contribute to the disparity in the risk of HIV acquisition and late diagnosis of the infection, including fear of the stigma surrounding HIV, general misinformation about the infection and lack of perceived individual risk. (Public Health England, 2014; Sigma Research 2008)

The virus has been divided up into three patterns. Pattern 1 is the type of AIDs in North America, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. In these parts of the world AIDs is spread mostly by homosexual intercourse and found in homosexual and bisexual men most often. The number of cases has drastically dropped from blood transfusion due to routine screenings. The sharing of needles by intravenous drug abusers seems to be becoming a huge problem in helping to spread the disease faster. Since homosexual and bisexual men seem to be at a greater risk for the virus, the ratio of men to women is 20:1 in the pattern 1 countries.

Since the first cases of HIV were detected among female sex workers (FSW) in Chennai, India in 1986, dramatic progress has been made in the last three decades in the battle against HIV both in India and globally (Mayer, 2011). Despite this progress, new infections continue to occur - in 2012, there were an estimated 2.3 million persons newly infected with HIV globally (UNAIDS, 2013). Many new infections often occur within the context of a serodiscordant relationship – an infected partner in a relationship transmits HIV to the uninfected partner. Over the past thirty years, several interventions have been identified to prevent HIV transmission from HIV-infected persons to uninfected persons in serodiscordant relationships. Yet, transmissions continue to occur. Interventions such as voluntary counseling and testing, condom promotion, and risk reduction counseling are very effective in preventing transmission among serodiscordant couples but are underutilized in India despite their widespread availability (Kumar et al., 2011). Interventions such as pre-risk exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and universal antiretroviral therapy (irrespective of CD4 count) have been newly identified but face several challenges that impede their widespread implementation in India (Kumar et al., 2011). Serodiscordant couples in India also face certain unique socio-cultural issues such as marital and fertility pressure (Gupta et al., 2010).

According to the government study, poverty is the most important factor in the inner- city heterosexuals are more infected with AIDS virus. According to the studies, HIv is the more epidemic in poverty urban areas. Therefore, poor heterosexuals in those areas were twice as likely to be infected compared to the heterosexuals that lived in that same community but had more money. According to the

The purpose of this research is to provide insight into the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in urban areas, particularly those who are at an economic disadvantage. This research will provide background on what HIV is, its history and the result that have been concluded based on the research and information collected during the process. The purpose of this paper is to see whether HIV is more prevalent in urban areas, particularly the minority and underserved populations.

AI/AN believes in strong social values. Present surveillance statistics from Center for Disease Control Prevention revealed HIV/AIDS is escalating amongst AI/AN (Sileo, 2004). When 2001 ended, 1304 AI/AN were living with AIDS. It was reported 1 in 1910 women was diagnosed with AIDS with the highest number of cases (N=145) among those 30-34 years of age (Sileo, 2004). The women were exposed through injection drug use and sexual relation with HIV positive and high-risk male partners. At that time it was reported that 1 in 485 AI/AN men were diagnosed with AIDS having the highest number of cases (N=659) again, within the 30-34 year age range (Sileo, 2004). Male to male exposure was a result of sexual contact, injection drug use, same sex and injection drug use behaviors, and heterosexual contact (Sileo, 2004).

HIV is a virus that is spread almost all over the world. Although in some places health care isn’t as developed and therefore it spreads more in those regions. Sub-Saharan Africa holds more than 70%, 25 million, of all HIV positive people in the world. Second highest is Eastern Europe together with Central Asia with 1.3 million. It is spread over most of the world, including Asia and the Pacific, the Caribbean, Central and South America, North Africa and the Middle East and Western and Central Europe (“The Regional Picture”).

Another major health policy that India just passed and adopted from the World Health Organization (WHO) is the "Test and Treat Policy for HIV". India has the third largest HIV epidemic in the world and with WHO, India wants to reduce the number people infected with HIV. Currently, 2.1 million are living in HIV in India and 86000 new cases are reported yearly. “The epidemic is concentrated among key affected populations such as sex workers. The vulnerabilities that drive the epidemic are different in different parts of the country.4 the five states with the highest HIV prevalence (Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka) are in the south or east of the country.” ("HIV and AIDS in India", 2017) The new policy allows people to get tested and get the necessary treatment. This policy applies to everyone from all men, women, adolescents and children. This policy will greatly increase the longevity and provide a better quality of life for those ill and hopefully prevent other diseases like Tuberculosis, which

This paper is a review of the article titled Knowledge and Awareness about HIV/AIDS among Women of reproductive age in a district of Northern India. Article clearly identifies the low HIV/AIDS awareness and knowledge among women of reproductive age. Researcher is motivated to reduce the number of cases and prevalence of infectious disease through awareness. While introducing the article, researcher lacked in explaining how young women are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection than young men. This could create a false impression in readers mind that without any evidence the researcher provided the conclusion that women are more Vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Researcher stated in the article that early marriage also poses special risks to young people, particularly women (Singh, 2012) but did not elaborate or provided any evidence to support this statement. Perhaps the lack of evidence and research could be considered the rationale, more information would have been helpful to justifying these statements.