HIV is most commonly spread through sexual contact and the exchange of physiological fluids containing the virus, such as semen, vaginal fluid, or blood. It can also be spread through contact with infected mucous membranes, such as the inside of the mouth or rectum. HIV can be spread from mother to child during pregnancy, labor and delivery, or breastfeeding as as shown in NRS 428 Epidemiology Paper. It can also be spread through needle sharing among intravenous drug users. And finally, it can be acquired through a blood transfusion or organ transplant if the donor is infected with HIV. While bringing the pregnancy to term and again after the baby is born, the mother may directly transmit the virus to the growing fetus. A history of STDs, injecting drugs, a large number of sexual partners, and participating in sexual activity without using protection are all risk factors for HIV and AIDS. There are many issues that are related to HIV/AIDS. This group of illnesses includes pneumocystis pneumonia, cryptococcal meningitis, CMV, toxoplasmosis, candidiasis, and tuberculosis. Along with frailty, liver disease, renal disease, diabetes, and malignancies unrelated to AIDS, patients are also more likely to have these conditions (Capriotti, 2018; Dumais, 2017). Currently, there is no HIV/AIDS therapy or cure. On the other hand, antiretroviral drugs are used to treat patients and they lower the level of virus that is present in the body. Treatments for symptoms of illnesses including oral candidiasis, meningitis, and pneumonia are also used to stop further immune suppression.
The data that are now available show that HIV/AIDS is a problem for both national and international health. Statistics show that in 2019, there were 34 800 newly discovered cases of HIV/AIDS. It was an 8% drop from the incidence rate of the prior year. The age group with the greatest infection rate was 45 to 54 years old, followed by 35 to 44 year olds as the second highest age group. In the US, there are 1.2 million persons living with HIV/AIDS, of whom 13% are uninformed of their infection status. The demographics most affected by HIV/AIDS in the United States include those from underrepresented groups, such as homosexual men, bisexual men, and other males who have sex with other men (HIV.GOV, 2021). A sickness like HIV/AIDS must be disclosed. Healthcare institutions report cases of HIV/AIDS that have been clinically identified to the National HIV Surveillance System, which is maintained by the CDC, as well as to the health departments of the individual states. The instances are reported once the patients have been diagnosed.
Social Determinants of Health
The term “social determinants of health” refers to the factors that can be changed but still contribute to health disparities. Social determinants of health are things that are present in the environments in which people are born, where they live, where they work, and where they thrive. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is linked to a number of factors that determine health. Ethnicity is one of these factors (Hogan et al., 2021). The number of people living with HIV/AIDS is significantly higher in certain ethnic groups, including African Americans. A person’s socioeconomic status, as well as their level of poverty, is yet another social factor that influences their health. As a consequence of this, the prevalence of HIV and AIDS is high among people who come from families with low socioeconomic status. They are more likely to contract sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV/AIDS, due to certain risky behaviors, such as engaging in risky sexual activities.
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