Defining Couples Hiv Testing And Counselling

We have been aware of HIV and AIDS since the 1970s (Miller, 2012), and though there have been treatments and reduction in the number of people infected, the disease remains. The disease results in death usually following opportunistic infections as a result of AIDS destruction of the immune system, but thanks to modern medicine “many people

If you look at how everything has developed since AIDS was first regarded as s major threat to public health in the beginning of the 1980’s it could be said that a lot of progress has been made. Not in a way where infected individuals around the world get the treatment they need or the developing countries get completely the support necessary, but today the world is closer to that goal than years before. This is important to outline because people tend to forget the progress been made, as they are only searching for a certain ending or result. The final solution to the dilemma between distribution of drugs to all people in need and the costly and continuous research required to find a cure, is not in reach [3].

Bradley, et al. (2014) examined the continuum of services among persons living with HIV in the United States during 2011. Data was gathered and examined from the National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS) from the United States regarding improving the care and treatment of individuals diagnosed with HIV from 2011-2013. This data was significant because the finding could ultimately assist the government with reducing new infection and related illnesses and improving the rate of viral load suppression with the assistance of antiretroviral therapy (ART). According to the authors in 2011 in the United States an estimated 1.2 million individuals were living with HIV (Bradley, et al., 2014, p. 1113). Furthermore, the authors also stated

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

There is some good news in the fight against HIV. Between 2005 and 2014 new diagnosis of HIV have fallen by 19% nationwide (CDC, 2017). Those living with HIV are now living longer, healthier lives and have the opportunity to

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.

The CDC estimates 1,218,400 people aged 13 and over are living with HIV in the United States. Of this population, 156,300 (12.8%) are not aware of their infection. Over the past decade, the number of people living with HIV has increased, meanwhile the annual number of new HIV infections has remained relatively stable. The pace of new infections continues to be far too high —particularly

In 2010 the awareness of HIV infection was higher in women of 13 years and older than the men. Women consisted of 87.8 percent as the men consisted of 83.0 percent. Overall Healthy People 2020 Targets of the reproductive health services and awareness of HIV infection had both increased needed to reach their target. Within the reproductive health services 78.6 percent was between 2006 and 2010; thus the target for 2020 is 86.5 percent. This would be a 10.1 percent increase needed for the reproductive health services. Whereas within the awareness of HIV infection 84.2 percent was in 2010; thus the target for 2020 is 90.0 percent. This would be a 6.9 percent increase needed for the awareness of HIV infection (Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicators: Reproductive and Sexual Health,

Available treatment for HIV infected individuals currently includes HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy). This treatment has proven to be effective by extending life of individuals affected by HIV, doing so by decreasing viral load, HIV transmission, disease progression, reducing severity of symptoms and preserved the immune system. Therefore, it is important for the patient to get tested to ensure treatment is no delayed and risk further complication. As the virus progress the illness associated with it becomes more complicated and difficult to treat because without treatment the immunodeficiency rises. “The majority of disease occurs in the advanced stages of HIV infection where immunosuppression is the predominant influence Hogan, C., & Wilkins, E., (2011).” Therefore for patient should seek early treatment and adhere to medication regimen to decrease progression of the infection and prevent further complication. Other issues that need to be address is measures need to be taken for early testing, without being tested many patient are able to transfer the virus from one person to another without even knowing. Early diagnose of the disease will give patient the opportunity to seek medical care and become knowledgeable of the step needed to take to prevent them from infecting other individual. Several states have now implement policies to test newborn babies for the HIV virus without permission of the parents. ----------cite.

Just as clearly, experience shows that the right approaches, applied quickly enough with courage and resolve, can and do result in lower HIV infection rates and less suffering for those affected by the epidemic. An ever-growing AIDS epidemic is not inevitable; yet, unless action against the epidemic is scaled up drastically, the damage already done will seem minor compared with what lies ahead. This may sound dramatic, but it is hard to play down the effects of a disease that stands to kill more than half of the young adults in the countries where it has its firmest hold—most of them before they finish the work of caring for their children or providing for their elderly parents. Already, 18.8 million people around the world have died of AIDS, 3.8 million of them children. Nearly twice that many—34.3 million—are now living with HIV, the virus [9].

Getting tested for HIV/AIDs is important for one’s health, relationships, and overall future. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency virus; the virus that causes the HIV infection.HIV is spread through the blood, semen, genital fluids, or a HIV infected woman’s breast milk. However, the most common ways to contract HIV is from having unprotected sex, sharing needles and syringes, or same sex intercourse. The growth of new HIV infections continues to rise. According to the Centers of Disease Control (CDC), currently in the United States 1.2 million people are infected with HIV. Among that large group of people, twenty percent of the people were unaware of their status. Consequently, the twenty

Getting tested for HIV/AIDs is important for one’s health, relationships, and overall future. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency virus; the virus that causes the HIV infection.HIV is spread through the blood, semen, genital fluids, or a HIV infected woman’s breast milk. However, the most common ways to contract HIV is from having unprotected sex, sharing needles and syringes, or same sex intercourse. The growth of new HIV infections continues to rise. According to the Centers of Disease Control (CDC), currently in the United States 1.2 million people are infected with HIV. Among that large group of people, twenty percent of the people were unaware of their status. Consequently, the twenty

Multiple HIV testing and prevention programs have been run in Haiti in the last decade. One such trial, carried out in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, evaluated the success of three different rapid syphilis tests as compared to two "gold standard" tests. These “gold standard” tests were the older tests that have been reliable in the past, but generally take longer to achieve the results. The researchers’ main goal was to find out whether rapid HIV screening was more cost-effective than the “gold standard” tests that are normally run. The data that was collected from these tests was used to create a model comparing three

According to UNAIDs (2009) on HIV strategies and challenges, there exists challenges in disbursements and absorptive capacity at the national level

HIV is considered a worldwide epidemic that is raging out of control especially in the sub-Saharan African countries. Thus being a termed as a chronic disease, rather than a deadly killer disease. It is known to be manageable if one tested early and knew their status, because one is able to seek voluntary counselling from a health provider. These centers are commonly known as voluntary counselling center (VCT) in most African countries. The world Health organization urges everyone worldwide to get tested and know their HIV status, so that one is able to take protective measures on how to avoid contracting HIV in future and if one is infected, one is able to take precautions on how to live longer and a healthy life by seeking further healthcare treatment to prolong one’s life. Included in the review of the pathophysiology of HIV also are the early signs and symptoms of HIV,preventive measures, effects of stigmatization and the vulnerable population that is likely to contract the HIV virus.