Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO, 2003). Health can be disturbed by disease. People suffer from variety of disease, which not only affect our physical health but also mental health. Considering the significant feature of AIDS is a disease which affects one’s individual life along with society. AIDS is the epidemic diseases affecting both industrialized and developing countries and morbidity and mortality rates of AIDS are gradually increasing. In south East Asia prevalence of AIDS in 2007 was 0.35% and progressively increasing in other countries of south Asia. Pakistan is at high risk for HIV/AIDs epidemic due to several socioeconomic conditions, including illiteracy, unemployment and poverty. HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Essay
Furthermore, Pakistan is identified as a low-prevalence, high-risk country for HIV infection. General population prevalence was estimated as 0.1% and high-risk population prevalence as 1-2% (UNAIDS). 96,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Pakistan, and 5,100 people died of AIDS-related complications. In developing countries around 90% people are suffering from AIDS and incidence rate is provoked by illiteracy, unhealthy sexual practices, lack of medical facilities, use of contaminated syringes and drug injectors (Yousaf, Zia, Babar & Ashraf, 2011). Sex workers and drug injectors are highly vulnerable to HIV due to inadequate knowledge which leads to HIV infection (UNAIDS, 2006). Common transmission of HIV/AIDS is mainly heterosexual is 52.55%, contaminated blood products is 11.73%. Other includes IDU-injecting drug users 2.02%, male-to-male or bisexual relations 4.55%, mother-to-child transmission 2.2% and transmission of undetermined origin 26.9 %. (Bhurgri, 2006). HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Essay
AIDS is fourth major cause of death. Globally, in December 2007 people living with AIDS were 33.2 million thus morbidity rate was 2.5 million and mortality was 2.1 million (Park, 2009). Likewise, worldwide 16 million people inject drugs and among them 3 million are having HIV. On average, one out of every ten new HIV infections is affected by injecting drug users and in some countries like Eastern Europe and Central Asia over 80 % of all HIV infections is related to drug users. A survey conducted in Lahore and Karachi (March-July 2004) indicated an epidemic of HIV positive among injecting drug users (IDUs) which is 23% out of 402 and man sex with mans which is 4% out of 409 in Karachi (world bank,2006). HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, Pakistan 2006-07 sexual activities between commercial workers like, FSWs, MSWs, HSWs and IDUs will increase the epidemic potential. In Pakistan, although HIV infection rates among FSWs remain very low, there is evidence of sexual interaction between FSWs and IDUs. Approximately 2.3% of FSWs and 5.7% of MSW and HSWs reported that they are also IDUs (Zaheer et al., 2008). In AKUH 36 cases of AIDS were identified among people of age group of 18-40 years in last six years. HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Essay
HIV/AIDS was first discovery in 1983 and pathogen involved in the cause of AIDS was HIV-1. Later on in 1986, a second type of virus was discovered HIV-2, which was isolated from HIV patient. Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) is originated naturally in a monkey of West African (Sharp & Hahn, 2010). Studies shows the close relation of primary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) and simian immunodeficiency virus which carried by chimpanzee. After comparison, investigators concluded that there must be multiple transmission events from simians to humans (Moore, 2004). In Pakistan, AIDS was firstly detected in 1987 in Lahore. In late 1980s and 1990s, incidences were increased. Generally men were infected while living in or move to abroad and transmit infection to their spouse and it may pass to their children. In 1993, transmission of AIDS through breast feeding was firstly reported in Rawalpindi. During 1990s, HIV/AIDS cases start to appear among commercial sex workers, drug abusers and jail prisoners. During the time period of 2005 to 2007 HIV cases increased from 9% to 15.8% in drug users and more than 6000 cases were reported till 2010 (Ilyas et al., 2001). HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Essay
Pakistan is a low socioeconomic country with increase in population and unemployment which brings it to a high risk for HIV due to a progressive increase in urbanization and immigration. People live unaccompanied in abroad they try to satisfy their sexual desires by prostitution or engaging in homosexual behaviors. Similarly factors like political instability, War on terror and frequent natural disasters provoke an individual to use drugs as coping mechanism. Research in Pakistan a special Issue of JPMA on HIV/AIDS highlights that commercial sex worker, male transvestites, homosexual men, long distance truckers, sailors, needle sharers, prisoners,
Order this paper