Gregory Parham
BI-245X
07/16/19
Dr. Hinks
HIV/AIDS: The Modern Plague
First identified in 1981, HIV is the cause of one of humanity’s deadliest and most persistent epidemics. HIV which stands for human immunodeficiency virus that attacks cells that help fight the body fight infections, which ends up making a person more vulnerable to other infections. HIV is spread through unprotected anal or vaginal sex with someone with HIV and not aware of their status. Sharing needles, syringes, and other drug preparation tools increase the risk of getting HIV, but HIV can be spread through mother to child during pregnancy. The human body cannot get rid of HIV, so it can lead to the disease AIDS which stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and it is the last stage of HIV infection which occurs when the body’s immune system is damaged.
There is a lot of things that contribute to the epidemic of HIV in the U.S. and a societal factor is promiscuity which is the leading cause of the spread of HIV in many regions. It is practiced between young adults and married people and don’t realize the consequences. A stigma comes along with HIV with people not wanting to get tested on the virus and if they end up getting tested, they do not reveal their status if affected. Poverty can contribute to the epidemic of HIV because for some people, this is a way of earning money and poor people don’t have much education of sexual contact. Ignorance is a big factor due to people knowing about the disease but still interacting in practices that pushes the transmission of the disease farther and farther. An example would be HIV transmission can be prevented with the use of condom, but people are reluctant to use them even with new partners. In order to make a change and limit the virus from spreading, people must limit the number of sex partners and practice safe sex, as long as sharing needles.
The impact of the virus has caused a societal blow to the American people due to over 700,000 people dying in the United States from HIV since 1981 and over 1 million is living with it right now. There has been more awareness brought up about the disease and if not handled correctly or prevented then you can get a deadly illness.
The progress made with HIV has been declining in the U.S. The number of HIV diagnoses has declined from previous years with numbers like 40,000 Americans being newly diagnosed each year with this terrible disease. If no intervention comes up, it’s going to be the same number year after year. The U.S. government does spend $20 billion per year to find tools to prevent the infections. With injecting drugs, people have to make sure the needles are sterilized, and majority of the time health care providers are the ones injecting and providing the needles for use. New infections are coming from minorities who live in the southern part of the U.S. and men who have sex with men.
President Trump has proposed a $291 million budget to begin a multiyear initiative focus on ending the HIV epidemic by the year 2030 in the United States. This multiyear initiative is broken up into three different phases. The first phase is focusing on geography and the rapid infusion of technology into the areas of America who are most effected by HIV. Phase two will reduce new infections and disease by 90% by the year 2030. Phase three will involve case management that will try to keep cases of HIV at 3,000 or fewer per year in the U.S.
As of right now, the current prevention of HIV in the U.S., we try to diagnose all individuals with HIV first. The number of Americans who have the virus and didn’t know reached 165,000 which is terrible. Next, once we diagnose, we want to treat the virus effectively and rapidly. Third, prevent new transmissions by using interventions. Finally, responding quickly to potential HIV outbreaks with the treatment services and prevention awareness to people who need it during that time. People who take the medication can live a long life and if we as a whole follow these four steps, we can limit the virus and end up eradicating it in the future.