Example research essay topic: Living With Hiv Infected With Hiv - 1,292 words

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1. 1 Global situation of HIV/AIDS Since the first cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were reported in 1981, infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has grown to pandemic proportions, resulting in an estimated 65 million infections and 25 million deaths (UNAIDS, CDC, 2006). During 2005 alone, an estimated 2. 8 million persons died from AIDS, 4. 1 million were newly infected with HIV, and 38. 6 million were living with HIV (UNAIDS, 2006). HIV continues to disproportionately affect certain geographic regions (e. g. , sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean) and subpopulations (e. g. , women in sub-Saharan Africa, men who have sex with men [MSM], injection-drug users [IDUs], and sex workers).

The global HIV/AIDS situation for adolescents is very serious, and the need for a stronger, focused response is urgent. Young people are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection because of risky sexual behaviour and substance use due to lack of access to accurate and personalized HIV information and prevention services as well as for a host of other social and economic reasons. At the end of 2005, an estimated 12. 4 million young people aged 15 - 24 years were living with HIV/AIDS representing one third of the global total of people living with HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS, 2006). 1. 2 HIV/AIDS situation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Approximately 10 % of the world population lives in sub-Saharan Africa, but the region is home to approximately 64 % of the world population living with HIV (UNAIDS, 2006). Transmission is primarily through heterosexual contact, and more women are HIV infected than men. Southern Africa is the epicenter of the AIDS epidemic; all countries in the region except Angola have an estimated adult (i.

e. , aged 15 -- 49 years) HIV prevalence exceeding 10 % (UNAIDS, 2006). In Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe, the estimated adult HIV prevalence exceeds 20 % (UNAIDS/WHO, 2006). South Africa, with an HIV prevalence of 18. 8 % and 5. 5 million persons living with HIV, has, along with India, the largest number of persons living with HIV in the world (UNAIDS, 2006). Recently, declines in adult HIV prevalence have been observed in Kenya, Zimbabwe, and urban areas of Burkina Faso. Although in these countries, HIV-related sexual risk behaviors and HIV incidence have decreased, AIDS death rates continue to rise. In sub-Saharan Africa, 17 % of the estimated number of persons in need of ART received it in 2005 (WHO, 2005).

HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death in this region. It was projected that HIV/AIDS would reduce average life expectancy in some of the southern African countries from 47 to around 39 years between 2001 and 2010 (UNAIDS, 2002; Kiragu, 2001). Though both males and females are getting infected with HIV, adolescent girls stand a special risk. That is, more than two thirds of newly infected 15 - 19 year-olds are females.

In major urban areas of eastern and southern Africa, epidemiological studies have shown that 17 - 22 % of girls aged 15 - 19 years were already infected compared to 3 - 7 % of boys of similar age. As in most countries in the world, girls in sub-Saharan Africa are at an increased rate of HIV infection because many older men prefer having sex with young girls thinking that they are free from HIV (UNICEF, 2002). 1. 3 HIV/AIDS situation in Uganda In Uganda, an estimated cumulative total of 2. 2 million people have been infected with the virus, about 2 million people are currently estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS and about 900, 000 HIV/AIDS related deaths have occurred since its on-set in the country (MoH, 2005). By 2003 literature indicated that there had been a steady decline in HIV prevalence since 1992 when prevalence reached a high of 30. 2 % in one of the urban areas (Mbarara) of Uganda (MOH, 2003). Overall prevalence in the adult population has also declined from a high 18. 5 % in late 1980 s to 6. 4 % in 2004 - 05. In 2004 - 05 the prevalence ranged from 5. 7 % in rural areas to 10. 1 % in urban areas.

Some sentinel surveillance sites have shown persistent decline in prevalence between 2002 and 2005 i. e Lala from 4. 7 % in 2002, to 2 % in 2005, Toronto (6. 3 % to 5. 8 %), Moyo (4. 3 % to 2 %), Many (0. 7 % to 0 %), Nsambya (8. 5 % to 7. 8 %), Rubaga (8. 1 % to 7. 1 %) and Kagadi (6. 4 % to 1, 3 %). However, some ANC surveillance sites have shown an increase in HIV prevalence between 2002 and 2005 for example; Are (4. 6 % to 9. 3 %), Masindi (4. 7 % to 7. 9 %), Make (5. 9 % to 7. 3 %), Mbarara (10. 8 % to 11. 9 %), Mutolere (1. 5 % to 4. 7 %), Nebbi (1. 3 % to 3. 3 %), Sort (4. 6 % to 7. 1 %) and Jinja (5 % to 8. 4 %) (Ntozi J. P. M, 2007) Uganda has predominantly a young population and the 2002 population and Housing Census reported that adolescent 10 - 19 years constituted 23. 3 % while in the age group of 10 - 24 years was 35. 5 % of the total population (UNFPA, 2003). As a result of the growing adolescent population, the importance of addressing concerns regarding sexual and reproductive health is ever increasing.

Twenty five percent of Ugandan adolescents between 15 and 19 years of age will have had their first sexual encounter by age 15. Uganda Bureau of Statistics reports that by age 19, 14 % had the first sexual intercourse and by age 24, 20. 5 % had had sex. About 67 % of Ugandan girls have their sexual experience by age 18 and some result in HIV infection or other health consequences (UBOS and ORC 2001). The prevalence of STD's and HIV is high among Ugandan youth.

It is estimated that more than 50 % of those infected with HIV are among the young people below the age of 25 years and again, young girls are particularly at risk (UNFPA, 2003). The national response to the epidemic has been one of openness about HIV/AIDS, backed by strong political commitment at all levels, as well as adoption of a multi-sectoral approach, which includes mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS into all sectors and the decentralization of the implementation plans. The prevention strategy focuses on intensive Information, Education & Communication (IEC) with Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) campaigns targeting Commercial Sex Workers, Long Distance Truck Drivers, fishing communities and high risk, primary and secondary schools, and condom use promotion and distribution. The management of STIs and opportunistic infections, as well as the provision of services to promote VCT, PMTCT and infection control as part of the universal precaution in health units and community settings are also being established. A comprehensive patient care package has been developed which includes the management of opportunistic infections including TB, palliative care, home based care and the provision of antiretroviral drugs for post-exposure prophylaxis and treatment.

Epidemiological surveillance for STI/HIV/AIDS has been established to support programme monitoring and evaluation. Despite the achievements made, many challenges remain. These include sustaining the momentum to scale up the core interventions, avoiding complacency, promoting condom use, and ensuring their quality and overcoming related negative politico-cultural and religious factors, improving access to effective IEC/BCC messages, limited translated materials on STI/HIV/AIDS, shortage of human resource particularly counsellors in some districts, stronger involvement of men in VCT and PMTCT services, the scaling up of new initiatives like the ARVs, the inclusion of children and older people in the prevention and control, care and treatment of HIV/AIDS.

Research essay sample on Living With Hiv Infected With Hiv