Preview

Multicultural Perspectives, HIV and AIDS

Best Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1910 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Multicultural Perspectives, HIV and AIDS
Countries with Lowest HIV/AIDS Infection Rates When the first incidences of what is now known as the AIDS virus was reported back in the early 1980’s, not much was known about the illness. With even health care professionals baffled at the sudden appearance of this mystery disease, naturally, hysteria ensued. As such, many misconceptions surrounding the nature and origins of the virus spread. By the mid-80’s, the disease had been identified as AIDS or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and HIV or human immunodeficiency virus had been discovered to cause it. After over thirty years of research, medical advances have been made in the early detection of HIV as well as its prevention. Because of these advances as well as consistent efforts to educate the general population some regions have been able to successfully contain the disease, or keep the infection rate at relatively low levels. It is now accepted as fact that HIV causes AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, a medical condition defined by the immune system’s inability to fight off infections. What HIV does is attack the immune system cells, over time leaving the body susceptible to infection. AIDS is diagnosed when a person has developed an AIDS related condition, an opportunistic infection, AIDS related cancer, or when the number of immune system cells (CD4 cells) drops below a certain level. Since its discovery in 1981, over thirty million people have died from AIDS, and an estimated thirty four million people worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS today. As of yet, there is still no cure and the most successful treatment for HIV and AIDS is through antiretroviral therapy. The use of preventative measures, antiretroviral therapy, and other factors have been the cause for lower infection rates in the populations of certain regions as opposed to the harder hit regions in the rest of the world. That is not to say that these regions are not at risk, but that socio-economic factors have kept


Cited: Anderson, Tim. "HIV/AIDS in Cuba: A rights-based analysis" Health and Human Rights: An International Journal[Online], 11 10 Sep 2009. 5 Jan. 2013. Bentley, Molly. "Cuba Leads the Way in HIV Fight." BBC News. BBC, 17 Feb. 2003. Web. 4 Jan. 2013. "Central Intelligence Agency." CIA "Country Comparison: HIV/AIDS- Adult Prevalence Rate." The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 4 Jan. 2013. . Gall, Carlotta Karsikos, Kimmo. "How to Reach Zero? HIV/AIDS Treatment in a Low Prevalence Country." Reach Zero. Swiss Re Center for Global Dialogue, 22 May 2012. Web. 6 Jan. 2013. . Morison, Linda Obermeyer, Carla M. "HIV in the Middle East." Home. BMJ Group, 19 Oct. 2006. Web. 6 Jan. 2013. . Peter, Tom A "Population Statistics. Svalbard." Statistics Norway. N.p., 20 Sept. 2012. Web. 6 Jan. 2013. . “Svalbard” "Syria: Focus on HIV/AIDS." Humanitarian News and Analysis. IRINnews, n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2013. . UNGASS Country Progress Report
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Implecations of Hiv and Aids from the Perspective of Hipaa Confidentiality
    • 1732 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Implecations of Hiv and Aids from the Perspective of Hipaa Confidentiality

    The Body (2001). Why We Should Care: HIV in the United States. Retrieved July 28, 2009,…

    • 1732 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Epidemiology HIV Paper
    • 1369 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Epidemiology HIV Paper

    References: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014, November 25). CDC – HIV in the…

    • 1369 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Truvada
    • 1685 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Truvada

    Contrary to popular belief, every country in Africa does not have soaring infection rates. For example, west and central Africa have HIV prevalence rates that vary from 5% to about 13%. The country of Senegal only has a rate between 1%-2% (Ng, Hawlan, 1999).Unfortunately southern Africa has not faired as well. Four countries have HIV prevalence rates that surpass 30%. “Those countries are Botswana (37.5%), Lesotho (31.5%), Swaziland (38.6%) and Zimbabwe (33.7%)” (Avert.org, 2004). The reasons some countries such as Senegal have lower infection rates is because their government has taken an active role in preventing the disease from spreading. In Senegal, the government has set aside a budget to implement their plan against AIDS.…

    • 1685 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Aids in Africa Essay 21
    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Aids in Africa Essay 21

    Thirty-three million people have AIDS in the world. Africa has two-thirds of that number. According to the United Nations Aids Program on HIV/Aids, and World Health Organization (WHO), estimates, seven out of ten people newly infected with HIV in 1998 live in sub Saharan Africa. Among children under 15, the proportion is nine out of ten. Of all Aids deaths since the epidemic started, eighty-three percent have been in the region. These numbers sound even more astonishing considering only one-tenth of the world's population lives in Africa, south of the Sahara. The amount of Africans affected by the epidemic is frightening. Since the start of the epidemic, an estimated 34 million people living in sub-Saharan Africa have been infected with HIV. Approximately 11.5 million of those people have already died, one-fourth of them being children. During the course of 1998, Aids has been responsible for an estimated two million deaths in Africa. There is about 21.5 million men and women living with HIV in Africa, plus an extra one million being children. Four million of those people contracted the infection in 1998 alone (Mail 8 guardian).…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation
    • 737 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation

    The words HIV and AIDS radiates a fear in most people. Imagine being told this was your fate before the world knew much of anything at all bout the disease. Elizabeth Glaser, the wife of a Hollywood actor, was diagnoses with HIV 1985, acquiring the disease from a blood transfusion during the birth of daughter 1981. Elizabeth unknowingly passed the disease on to her daughter through breastfeeding. Her son, born in 1984 contracted the virus in utrero. At that time in the early 80’s antiviral drugs was very new and not being testing for children. The Glasers’ daughter died from AIDS related complication in 1988. Determined to save her son’s life, Elizabeth rose to action. She approached two close friends and asked for their help in starting a foundation that would raise money to fund pediatric AIDS research and awareness, as chronicled in her autobiography, “In The Absence Of Angels”.…

    • 737 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Global Issues: Annotated Bibliography
    • 648 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Global Issues: Annotated Bibliography

    Shah, Anup. "AIDS around the World." Global Issues: Aids Around the World. N.p., 29 Nov.…

    • 648 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    concepts of epidemiology (HIV)
    • 1714 Words
    • 6 Pages

    concepts of epidemiology (HIV)

    Communicable diseases are global health issues nowadays as the world become globalized by increasing international travel and business. Among many of communicable diseases, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is considered to be one of the most severe communicable diseases worldwide. It has spread rapidly throughout the whole world from the continent of Africa since it was first reported in 1981(Maurer & Smith, 2009). By 1987, it had spread to 100 countries, by 2001, HIV became the leading infectious cause of death in the world. Scientists believe a similar virus to HIV first found in animals such as chimps and monkeys in Africa, where Africans are hunted for food. While they contact with an infected animal 's blood during butchering or cooking, the virus might cross into humans and become HIV (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). HIV causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS). Having HIV does not always mean having AIDS. To develop AIDS, it take many years for people with HIV. The epidemic of HIV/AIDS in Africa is devastating because it disrupts family life, leaving many children without parents ' support. Reduced workforces in African society impact socioeconomic issues as well. These days, HIV/AIDS are not only problems in the African continent, but they are now also seen in every continent in the entire world. As of 2008, United Nations (UN) general assembly special session on HIV/AIDS estimated that there were roughly 33-4 million people living with HIV, 2.7 million new infections of HIV, and 2 million deaths from AIDS. According to the Center of Disease Control(CDC), about 1.1 million people in the U.S. had been diagnosed with AIDS since the disease diagnosed in 1981(Maurer & Smith, 2009).…

    • 1714 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    The Effects of Aids on Sub-Saharan African Communities
    • 2268 Words
    • 10 Pages

    The Effects of Aids on Sub-Saharan African Communities

    “Two-thirds of all people infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa, although this region contains little more than 10% of the world’s population” ("The impact of HIV & AIDS on Africa", 2010, para. 1). “During 2008 alone, an estimated 1.4 million adults and children died as a result of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa…[that is] more than 15 million Africans [who] have died from AIDS…since the beginning of the epidemic”("The impact of HIV & AIDS on Africa", 2010, para. 1). The impact that HIV/AIDS has had on this region is astounding and caused widespread human suffering. “The most obvious effect of this crisis has been illness and death, but the impact of the epidemic has certainly not been confined to the health sector; households, schools, workplaces and economies have also been badly affected” ("The impact of HIV & AIDS on Africa", 2010, para. 1). Most of these sub-Saharan countries are still in the developing stages in terms of their economies; the damage that the epidemic has done to the economy seems irreversible.…

    • 2268 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Aids Epidemic
    • 1341 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Aids Epidemic

    HIV/AIDs is a huge epidemic still plaguing society today. The lack of knowledge and technical advances has caused an increasing number of cases. It has made its way around the world since the 1940s, causing countries to join together in the fight against AIDs. With all the campaigning that has been done the numbers of cases continue to rise. Countries have separated the disease into three patterns to make it easier to distinguish the effects that AIDs has on different regions of the world. As well as what subtypes sprout from what areas. HIV/AIDs can be spread in many different ways. The future is still uncertain for the victims whom lives have been dramatically changed by this deadly disease.…

    • 1341 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Epidemiology of Hiv
    • 14915 Words
    • 60 Pages

    Epidemiology of Hiv

    17 UNAIDSHIV/AIDS: the global epidemic. Geneva, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, 1996 (fact sheet).…

    • 14915 Words
    • 60 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sub Saharan Africa Essay
    • 3099 Words
    • 13 Pages

    Sub Saharan Africa Essay

    Over the course of many years, parts of Sub Saharan Africa have decreased in their population because of the STD AIDS. The African government plays a significant role in the reason behind the way AIDS has spread throughout Africa, as an epidemic. When AIDS was beginning to be well known, many African leaders did intervene and showed moral support for some time. Unfortunately, they fell short of providing adequate resources to the African people such as the drugs, better equipped hospitals and a safer country. Many other first class developed countries heard of the epidemic AIDS and the lack of help from their governments. Many of those countries did not feel the need to educate…

    • 3099 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Aids in Africa Essay 20
    • 2940 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Aids in Africa Essay 20

    Cited: Barnett, Tony and Alan Whiteside. Aids In the Twenty-First Century. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002.…

    • 2940 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Effect of the Spread of AIDS on African Society
    • 1652 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The Effect of the Spread of AIDS on African Society

    The facts written are by Gerald J. Stine in "Acquired Immune Deficiency syndrome" . Worldwide, about 9,000 persons a day become HIV-infected. The majority of all HIV infections worldwide occur in people ages 15-24. Over 1 million people die of AIDS each year. The number of HIV-infections worldwide has tripled since 1990! It is estimated that there will be a 20% drop in population in East Africa by the year 2001 because of AIDS (Stine, 360). "AIDS is the leading cause of deaths among adult men and the second leading cause of deaths among adult women in Africa" (Bethel, 13).…

    • 1652 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Aids in Uganda
    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Aids in Uganda

    “Officials estimate that a million Ugandans are living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Of these, an estimated 200,000 are in the advanced stages of the virus and need antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). About half of these are receiving treatment.” (Kavuma). For decades the governments of some African countries have been unable to provide the proper healthcare for their people. Among these countries, Uganda is home to one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS. The government has put effort in to provide treatment for the infected, but unfortunately they are lacking the funds to provide the medicine to all of the people. Many Ugandans are simply uneducated about the threats that this virus will cause to their individual lives, and also to their entire country. The HIV/ AIDS outbreak in an important problem in Uganda that the United States should be concerned about. This essay will explain the HIV/AIDS outbreak of Uganda in detail as an important current problem in Uganda. Furthermore, this essay will describe the criteria that must be met for a problem in a foreign country to merit US aid, and why Uganda meets these criteria.…

    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Hiv/Aids Summary of Research Study
    • 8804 Words
    • 36 Pages

    Hiv/Aids Summary of Research Study

    Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) results in destruction of the body’s host defenses and immune system leading to the condition called Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV-AIDS is one of the world’s greatest public health crises. For many years, because of lack of understanding and effective treatment, it is now considered a rapidly progressing fatal disease. HIV infection in humans is considered pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2003) reported that there are more than 20 million died from HIV-AIDS globally.…

    • 8804 Words
    • 36 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More

Related Topics