NRS 428 Epidemiology Paper: Epidemiology Paper
There is a significant impact that communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and influenza, have on the population of the entire world. The rate of transmission and the severity of communicable diseases are both significantly influenced by factors such as globalization. For instance, the status of human interactions is always shifting, which can have an impact on the way infectious diseases are disseminated across the world. The primary responsibility of reducing the incidence and severity of communicable diseases in their respective populations falls on the shoulders of nurses and other healthcare professionals. They utilize primary, secondary, and tertiary health promotion methods in order to empower those who are affected and those who are at risk to make changes to their lifestyles and behaviors. In addition to this, they choose interventions that are examples of best practices and improve care outcomes in terms of factors such as safety, quality, and efficiency. As a result, the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS is the topic that will be investigated in this paper.
NRS 428 Epidemiology Paper: Description of the Communicable Disease
In NRS 428 Epidemiology Paper, HIV/AIDS is the main infection/illness that will make the major part of this discussion. The viral infection known as HIV/AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. It makes the immunological system of the body its main target. In the absence of therapy, it is possible for the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome to progress (AIDS). Those who have HIV or AIDS encounter a wide range of symptoms throughout the stage of the illness known as the symptomatic phase. There are a range of symptoms associated with HIV/AIDS, and they can differ depending on the stage of infection. Early symptoms may include fever, rash, fatigue, enlarged lymph nodes, and sore throat (Dumais, 2017). As the infection progresses, people may develop more severe symptoms such as fevers that don’t respond to medication, significant weight loss, recurring infections, and problems with the nervous system. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection, and can lead to debilitating illnesses and death. Patients often include fast weight loss, pneumonia, skin rashes, and neurological conditions including depression and memory loss.
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 m
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