Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a unique type of virus which unlike other viruses suppresses the human immune system within the first few weeks of the attack. As a result, the body is unable to get rid of it due to the weakened carrier’s immune system. When the immune system is weakened, the body is left susceptible to opportunistic infections such as tumours, TB, as well as Malaria among others. There is no cure for this virus and as such, once individual contracts it, there is no known method that can be used to treat or get rid of it. However, researchers are tirelessly working to find either a cure or vaccine for the virus.
Causes of HIV
The cause of HIV is a virus known as the human immunodeficiency virus. The virus begins by destroying the white blood cells (CD4+ cells) responsible for fighting diseases and infections in the body (CDC, 2013). This virus spreads from one individual to another through body fluids exchange. These fluids include breast milk, blood, vaginal fluids, and semen (NHS, 2015).
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Signs and Symptoms
Pointing out the definite signs as well as symptoms of HIV infection is quite difficult at the early stages. However, some individual can show mild to severe symptoms within the first two to three weeks of infection, and then the symptoms disappear. Subsequently, the person develops new symptoms, and the old ones reappear and remain permanent after some years. The symptoms are categorized into two main groups, that is, major and minor signs (CDC, 2013). These classifications are determined by the effects of these signs and symptoms on the body of the victim. For instance, the minor symptoms include body rashes, fever, swollen glands, tiredness, persistent coughs, as well as sore throat among others (NHS, 2015). On the other hand, the major signs include recurrent infections, skin problems, more than 10% body weight loss, chronic diarrhoea, as well as prolonged fever among others (NHS, 2015).
Mode of Transmission
HIV has complex transmission patterns which are impacted by both direct and indirect factors. The direct factors include sexual preferences, number of sexual partners, as well as age. On the other hand, the indirect factors include HIV/AIDS risk behaviours, psychosocial, as well as socioeconomic factors. The primary mode of transmission of HIV is through sexual intercourse. Other methods include blood transfusion, sharing of piercing instruments with an infected person, as well as perinatal and vertical transfusion (CDC, 2013). For unborn children, they can acquire HIV at birth or during breastfeeding if the mother does not take medication to protect the baby from infection.
Complications and Treatment
Contracting HIV makes an individual susceptible to numerous opportunist infections as it at (CDC, 2013).tacks and suppresses the body’s immune system. These opportunist infections are the cause of death to HIV infected persons. Examples of the opportunist infections include histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, Candidiasis, Cancer, as well as Cytomegalovirus Diseases among others. The cure for HIV has not yet been found, and the only existing method is the management of the disease via medication to reduce its adverse impact on the carrier’s body. Moreover, some medications such as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are used to stop HIV infection if an individual is exposed to HIV within seventy-two hours (NHS, 2015). Additionally, the Antiretroviral Therapy drug (ART) is essential in prolonging one’s HIV latency stage thus making the individual live ordinary life (Tong, 2013). Also, a combination of more than three drugs commonly referred to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) can be used together with ART to suppress the rate of HIV replication and as such minimizing the weakening of the body’s immune system (Tong, 2013)
HIV Demographics
Because of its different mode of transmission, HIV is a universal health problem impacting every person regardless of their class. It was first reported in 1981 and rapidly spread such that by 2007 the number of infected persons was estimated to be thirty-three million while the number of the people who died from the disease was 2 million (CDC, 2013). HIV is a persistent health issue in the US, and despite progress having been made in the prevention and treatment of the virus, more efforts need to be put to eradicate it. By 2010, approximately 1.1 million persons were living with HIV in the United States with about 15% of this number not knowing being infected (CDC, 2013). Also, the number of new cases being diagnosed yearly is about fifty thousand with the larger portion of these new cases being African American males in more than a single sexual relationship.
Determinants of Health and their Relation to HIV Development
The determinants of health are factors within an individual’s environment that affect their health, risks, as well as life quality (Healthy People, n.d.). The factors can be psychological, social, behavioural, or socioeconomic. There exist five main health determinants in a given population, that is, policymaking, social factors, health services, individual behaviour, biology and genetics (Healthy People, n.d.). Firstly, persons with low literacy levels are at risk of acquiring HIV as compare to literate people because they are less conversant with health education and policies. As such, they lack knowledge in policies concerned with proper protection methods, how to manage the disease, as well as how to adhere to treatment makes them vulnerable to the implications of the virus.
Secondly, social factors have a detrimental impact on the development of HIV. For instance, persons with low income often indulge in unhealthy sexual activities. Moreover, factors such as social support, social networks, and housing conditions also are determinants of the health status of persons. For example, homeless individuals are always prone to infection in comparison with those in proper housing. Also, individual in poor housing are often uninsured and have high chances of hospitalization. On the other hand, social networks actively influence the spread of HIV among network members.
Additionally, these individual have less access to quality health care services and preventive measures such as condoms. Furthermore, the high cost of health care services in addition to the language barrier increases the risk of HIV spreading in the population. Other health care factors such as delayed health care services and unmet healthcare need also speeds up the spread of HIV.
Furthermore, behavioural factors, for example, drug and alcohol abuse, are crucial elements of the spreading and development of HIV. For instance, using intravenous drugs by multiple persons heightens the spreading of HIV between infected and healthy individuals unknowingly. Moreover, drug addicts are less able to protect themselves when engaging in sexual intercourse as well as control their sexual partners because of their impaired judgment. As a result, the spreading and development of HIV in this population becomes rampant.
Lastly, biological and genetic factors such as age and sex are a determinant of HIV spreading. According to the CDC (2013), the number of young males affected by HIV as compared to female.
HIV Epidemiologic Triangle
The three factors influencing if, when, and how HIV spreads are the agent, host, as well as the environment. In this case, HIV, which is a retrovirus with the ability to hide and reproduce within the body, is the agent (Tong, 2013). The virus needs a host whose role is to transport as well as hosting it till transition occurs. As such, the human is the host in which the virus develops into the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Because the virus is a blood-borne pathogen, it is passed to uninfected individuals via exchange of bodily fluids with an infected person. Finally, the environmental factors such as poverty levels, poor health care services, culture, as well as population influx complete the epidemiology triangle of HIV. Lack of resources to pay for quality health care as well as preventive measures put people at risk of acquiring HIV. Moreover, overpopulation encourages a rapid transmission of the disease. Moreover, the population’s cultural beliefs, such as distrust in modern medication, are also a factor in the spread of HIV.
Role of Community Health Nurse
It is of paramount importance for health care nurses to be knowledgeable about testing, prevention, as well as treatment of HIV because its implications affect all clinical care settings. The nurse needs to understand HIV’s changing epidemiology, present test recommendations, its repercussions, as well as new screening technologies. The knowledge is important to health care nurses as they play a significant role in educating the populace on the most appropriate HIV preventive measures to employ. Moreover, the nurses teach infected persons on self-care methods as well as appropriate home care for these patients. Besides, public health care nurses formulate as well as put into practice wellness programs that support health wellbeing of the population. The nurses make sure the HIV patients easily access the resources they require to properly take care of themselves as well as their families’ health.
Conclusions
Overall, for the last few decades since its discovery, HIV has and is still causing many deaths. Despite the cure not yet found, the population can do something to reduce the spread and development of this virus. It starts with everyone committing himself or herself to be tested as well as protecting one’ self from being infected or infecting others. The population should be ready to work with health care nurses in the implementation of programs aimed at lowering the spread of this virus. Moreover, health care nurses should take up the role of educating the population on the importance of knowing one’s status as well as all-time protection.
References
Center for Disease Control. (2013). Basic Statistics-retrieved onMay 21, 2016, from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/statistics.html
Healthy People. Determinants of Health | Healthy People 2020. Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/foundation-health-measures/Determinants-of-Health
Tong, W. (2013). Life Expectancy for People Living With HIV Increases by 15 Years. TheBodyPRO.com. Retrieved May 21, 2016, from http://www.thebodypro.com/content/72340/life-expectancy-for-people-living-with-hiv-increas.html
WHO (2015). Social determinants of health. Retrieved May 18, 2016, from, http://www.who.int/social_determinants/sdh_definition/en/
NHS (2015). HIV and AIDS. Retrieved May 21, 2016, from http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hiv/pages/causes.aspx
