...AIDS is the deadliest sexually transmitted disease known to mankind. It is estimated that approximately 30 million people worldwide are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or AIDS (Perloff, 2001). AIDS is ranked in severity to The Black Death that devastated Europe in the 14th century, and everyday an estimated 16,000 people are infected with this terrible disease (Perloff, 2001). In terms of prevalence, The United State of America is home to 1.4 million (or 4% of the global population) people living with AIDS, versus Africa, which is home to 22.7 million (or 68% of the global population) living with AIDS. The total population estimated to be living with AIDS is 33 million people, and out of those 33 million, 2 million die each year (Aids and hiv, 2010). The only way to overcome this horrific disease is to spread awareness on how to protect yourself and prevent the transmission of spreading AIDS. The three sources I found pertaining to the AIDS epidemic in Africa were an article by Desmond Cohen, an official government website, aids.gov, and a print source titled Encyclopedia of medical anthropology: health and illness in the world's cultures. Desmond Cohen is a reliable source because he was the director of HIV and development program as well as now being the senior advisor on HIV and development. The website I used is an official government website and is managed by the U.S. department of health and human services. Lastly, the Encyclopedia of medical anthropology:...
Words: 1092 - Pages: 5
...Cognitive Theory. That framework is currently the dominant version used in health behaviour and health promotion; however, it is still often referred to as Social Learning Theory. The impetus for this special issue on HIV came from a discussion a few years ago during which we established a shared interest in a revival of the sort of scholarly innovation that characterized the early years of the HIV epidemic. As far back as the early 1980s, social theorists, cultural, critics, artists and others created a vibrant body of work on HIV/AIDS. Working from various theoretical and disciplinary sites they steadfastly emphasized the ‘social’ for understanding the significance of AIDS and opened up new avenues for critiquing and re-imagining scientific, cultural and social responses to infectious disease. At its best, this work served also as an impetus for queer theory, various feminist critiques and a range of research under the rubric of science, medicine and technology studies. The contributions made by this early work and its effects on public discourse on HIV/AIDS were multiple. Among the more groundbreaking contributions worth underscoring here were analyses that destabilized the neutrality of scientific knowledge and practice, emphasizing the malleability and culture-bound nature of its disease definitions (Martin, 1994) as well as...
Words: 3619 - Pages: 15
...diseases in America today. In 1993, one communicable disease became more prevalent in today’s culture. The outbreak of the human immunodeficiency virus infection/ Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has impacted many lives. Although today, the death rates are not as high, it has taken all branches of the government to act together to manage the disease. Human immunodeficiency virus infection / Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).The illness interferes with the immune system, making people with AIDS much more likely to get infections, including opportunistic infections and tumors that do not affect people with working immune systems. This susceptibility gets worse as the disease continues. There have been many efforts taken by all branches of government to control the number of HIV/AIDS cases in America. One of the main organizations that have leaded the efforts is the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As a part of its overall public health mission, CDC provides leadership in helping control the HIV/AIDS epidemic by working with community, state, national, and international partners in surveillance, research, and prevention and evaluation activities. These activities are critically important because CDC estimates that about 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV, and that 21%...
Words: 996 - Pages: 4
...Epidemiology Paper Ericka Williams NUR/408 October 5, 2015 Willadene Walker-Schmucker Epidemiology Paper According to A Dictionary of Epidemiology (2014), Epidemiology is the science that studies the causes, patterns and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations. Epidemiology is an evidence-based practice that identifies risk factors and targets preventative healthcare. Epidemiology is a quantitative science built on the working knowledge of probability, statistics, and sound research. Epidemiology research looks at the population to see how many people are infected by the disease and study the disease over time to see if there is a change and what affects the disease have on our population. It is a tool used to promote and protect the public’s health. Steps and Methods of Epidemiology The steps and methods of epidemiology are routinely collecting data, epidemiologic data, and collecting data for other purposes these methods study health-related events. Routinely collected data can vary depending on time and region, this is data collected in a general population, such as births, deaths, and infectious diseases, (Stanhope & Lancaster 2012). Epidemiologic data uses surveys in specific populations to answer questions of concern and interest (Stanhope & Lancaster 2012). Data collected for other purposes is for research or investigative purposes within a region or area of interest (Stanhope & Lancaster 2012). Epidemiological triangle The...
Words: 1958 - Pages: 8
...world's worst AIDS epidemics. Every Saturday, nearby cemeteries are busy with the arrival of people who have died from AIDS. Funeral directors state that about 30 or 40 people are buried every week, as a result of AIDS. It is said that in South Africa, one of every ten people has AIDS. Some 17 million people in Africa have died representing almost 80% of AIDS deaths world wide. This is the equivalent of the combined populations of New York City and Los Angeles (www.Time/2001/aidsafrica). There is a conspiracy of silence fueling the spread of HIV in South Africa. Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa, and has one of the fastest growing infection rates AIDS is now South Africa's leading cause of death. Last year it accounted for 40% of all deaths between the ages of 15 and 49 (US.news2.yimg.com). By the year 2010, HIV prevalence in adults is projected to reach 25% of the total population. South Africa is projected to have the highest AIDS death rate until 2015. At that point, the population will have decreased to the point that the death rate will no longer be as high as in other areas. South Africa has a population close to 40 million people - an estimated 4.2 million (10.5%) are infected with HIV. Of these, half are women ages 15-49. Over 40% of pregnant women are HIV-positive. The impact of AIDS in South Africa is overwhelming. The disease has orphaned 370,952 children, 95,000 children have been infected with AIDS and the adult prevalence rate of HIV is 20%. While...
Words: 3230 - Pages: 13
...Efforts to Influence Sexual Behavior of Young Haitian Women: Implications for Addressing the Risk of HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) C Castor Citation C Castor. Parental Efforts to Influence Sexual Behavior of Young Haitian Women: Implications for Addressing the Risk of HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). The Internet Journal of World Health and Societal Politics. 2014 Volume 9 Number 1. Abstract Background: In 2010, HIV/AIDS was ranked as the leading cause of disease burden in 21 countries including Haiti. Addressing the issues of HIV is complex and associated with the dynamic of personal relationships, which are further complicated by the issues of gender inequality in these relationships. Furthermore, in the Haitian culture, women often fail to have open discussions about sexuality and sexual health and especially the issue of forced sex. This is complicated by the issue of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDs, sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) and/ or related health problems with their daughters. Parental involvement is thought to be an effective prevention strategy in behavior change. However, there is limited data regarding the level of parental contribution to sexual education and development of the young females in Haiti Objective: The study sought to determine: Haitian women’s knowledge of HIV/AIDS and STIs; the impact of parental influence for learning about sex, relationships and sexual health of...
Words: 4142 - Pages: 17
...Diversity Concerns in Public Health Name: Institution: Date: Diversity Overview Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (2010) defines Diversity in relation to public health as the term that describes the virtual uniqueness of each person or people group. The uniqueness that exists among the diverse people groups includes their skills, experiences, culture, interests, values and their ambitions. Each of these groups is rich with enormous possibilities. One of the Public Health provider’s professional responsibility is to learn and understand the diversity and cultural differences that exists in there area of operation and beyond, in order to address the health needs of these groups effectively (Woodward, 2010). One of the key agendas of the public health sectors in any country is to provide health care interventions that make a positive difference to the people and in a way that respects and values diversity of those people (UK DoH, 2004). The government has a responsibility to ensure that the rights of the different people groups are protected in the law, so that all the citizens in the society, especially the vulnerable groups are protected from discrimination (Woodward, 2010). It is important for Public Health Professionals to recognize that it is expected for them to provide care for members of the society who are from diverse backgrounds. This paper provides a discussion on the diversity concerns of public health. In discussing this topic, the paper looks at different...
Words: 3267 - Pages: 14
...Culture and Disease Paper The Southern United States is known for a slow, laid back pace of life. It is known for Southern hospitality and charm. It is also known for its historical Civil War battles and dark roots in slavery. The South is quickly gaining a reputation for something few people are talking about; it has become the center of the AIDS epidemic in the United States. The United States Census Bureau defines the south as the District of Colombia and the 16 states south of the Mississippi River. These states are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Texas (Census Bureau, 2012). The region accounts for only 37% of the United States population, however in 2009, 46% of all new AIDS cases were in the south (Reif, Whetten, & Wilson, 2012). Furthermore, in 2008 43% of people living with HIV were from the southern region (Reif et al, 2012). The south also has the highest rate of HIV related deaths and the highest level of HIV morbidity (Reif et al, 2012). To fully understand impact of these numbers one must understand what HIV and AIDS are, the modes of HIV transmission, possible treatments, the methods available to control the spread of HIV, the factors that make this population vulnerable to the condition, what role social and cultural influences play in the disease, how these factors impact treatment, and what health and wellness strategies...
Words: 1688 - Pages: 7
...and prospects for Africa, there are a few conclusions that students can soundly arrive at. As far back as scholars have researched, a range of different cultures have come into contact with Africa including European and Islamic cultures. A lot of the interaction has been forced upon the continent, and has been accompanied by violence, physical and otherwise. However, it is clear that the different cultures of people who have passed through and continue to reside on the continent has had effects, both positive and negative, on various aspects of the continent. Ali Mazrui is a Kenyan academic and political writer whose book The Africans: A Triple Heritage, which is actually a reader supplement to a PBS telecourse, covers this topic. Ali Mazrui’s argument that “modern” African politics, culture, and societies are a product of an Islamic, European, and indigenous African triple heritage is an accurate portrayal of the continent which African people should derive strength from, focusing on the positive aspects of each, in order to reach the transcontinental stability Africa envisions for herself. Chapter four “African Politics” of Understanding Contemporary Africa written by Donald L. Gordon is a valuable source that speaks to the politics of contemporary Africa and how they have been heavily influence by European culture. One of the most basic pieces of evidence of European influence on African politics is the countries contained within the continent which were drawn up by...
Words: 1765 - Pages: 8
...Research Proposal on HIV Posted at: February 9, 2010 under: Sample Research Proposals by admin @ 7:04 am Problem Twenty years ago, the subject of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), which has been found to be the cause of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), would not have been the topic of a major and serious worldwide catastrophe. Twenty years ago, people were not phased by the effects that would be caused by this ever so populating disease, and no one would have ever realized that this disease would not be curable or helped without expensive medicine. Like a simple exponential growth equation, the AIDS virus has increased victim numbers by about forty million all over the world. AIDS has also shown that it is not discriminating; it has infected all races and all heritages. The AIDS crisis extends far beyond its death toll, because more than seventy percent of the thirty-six million people with HIV/AIDS live in sub-Saharan Africa. Last year alone, the disease killed 1.5 million people in Africa. One third of these victims are between the ages of ten and twenty-four. The disease has been described as a development crisis; it is profoundly disrupting the economic and social bases of families and entire nations at a rate of infection at 16,000 per day. Without immediate action, AIDS will surpass the effect of the Black Plague that killed forty million people in the late fourteenth century. It is estimated that only ten percent of the death that this disease...
Words: 3218 - Pages: 13
...Western medicine and how it has affected African culture Stacy Lefrancois English 106 Professor Bollert 17 April 2015 Abstract A few western medicine care givers have caused a huge suspicion of mistrust among many African cultures. Many Africans prefer their traditional treatments from their home lands and do not trust western medicine. Unaware that western medicine can also be beneficial when it is incorporated with the traditional medicine. Western medicine needs to rebuild their trust in African cultures because of the past destruction done to the people of Africa. The western medical community can learn from the traditional medicine in Africa and Africa can also benefit in the advances of western medicine. Due to the untrustworthiness of some Western health care workers who have intentionally infected their patients with HIV, many Africans do not trust western medicine for treatments of illness because of the fear of being infected. Instead they trust and prefer the traditional treatments offered in their homelands which include traditional practices, herbal medicines, spiritual healing, and their own medical practitioners. . Because Western researchers have experimented on African populations in the past, many Africans to not trust western medicine. Therefore, they reject western treatments for HIV/AIDS. It would be best for Africans and worldwide health if all treatment options both traditional and modern were available to all Africans. “Western medicine...
Words: 1901 - Pages: 8
...Coping with HIV/AIDS in the Western NY Area Shantele Garner HCA430: Special Populations Vicki Sowle March 19, 2012 Certain exposures and conditions can produce a higher risk of HIV infections than others. Those exposures include, but are not limited to, sharing needles to inject drugs, receptive unprotected anal intercourse and vaginal intercourse. It’s very important that programs are put into place to educate communities of the risks involved concerning this illness. There are several programs in the Western NY, or Buffalo, NY area that addresses the needs and demands of the HIV/AIDS population. These programs are put into place to provide intense counseling, treatment options, coping mechanisms and other concerns involving the infected without prejudice and discrimination. One very well-known program in the Buffalo, NY area is called the Aids Community Services of WNY (Evergreen Health Services of WNY). Evergreen Health services is a not for profit community based organization committed to ending the AIDS epidemic and minimizing its effects in the eight counties of Western New York (Evergreen Health Services, 2007). This organization has been providing a wide range of services that assist with the daily living of those infected since 1983. One service provided is medical care. There are different types of medical care offered by this organization including primary care, this is sensitive and caters to the needs of the population served. The medical staff...
Words: 914 - Pages: 4
...Witchcraft can be interpreted as the belief and practice of magic, it is a concept that has existed throughout recorded history and can be found in various cultures. Traditionally, witchcraft is associated with negative actions, from famine to disease and is often conflicting to the religion in which a person practices. In this essay, I am going to discuss the different forms in which witchcraft exists in the contemporary world and using various ethnographic examples such as, Jean Fontaine, where she discusses links between sexual abuse of minors and concepts of evil and witchcraft. I will also be looking at an article by anthropologists Isak Neihaus and Gunvor Jonsson on HIV/AIDs and how this virus can be linked to witchcraft. An interesting...
Words: 2398 - Pages: 10
...African Americans with HIV/AIDS African American with HIV/AIDS One of the most important issues in an individual’s life is their health. The question that many individuals are wondering is how many different diseases are affecting millions of individuals throughout the world? These sometimes harmful diseases are affecting new born, young children, teens, adults, and elderly. Some of these diseases syndromes, disorders, and ect are curable and others can’t be cured which is only increasing the death rate around the world. According to science and health observations there are over 100,000 human diseases that have been discovered throughout the world. HIV/AIDS are the second most deadly diseases out in the world. Scientists believe that HIV came from a particular kind of chimpanzee in Western African. Scientists also believe humans came in contact with HIV as early as the 1800s because individuals used hunting as survival skills and a way of living. They ate food that was infected by HIV that soon was discovered as a harmful disease. Decades later the virus slowly spread across African and later into many other parts of the world infecting thousand and then millions. HIV/AIDS is an epidemic that affects both men and woman of all ages. In 1985 scientist discovered the human immunodeficiency virus which is also known as HIV. HIV is a virus that attacks the human body’s immune system. It also affects the blood cells within an individual’s body (lymphocytes) and cells of the...
Words: 803 - Pages: 4
...Introduction From its origin, HIV/AIDS has been defined as a sexually transmitted disease associated primarily with white homosexual men. In fact, African Americans are the racial/ethnic group that are mostly influenced by HIV/AIDs. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, by the end of 2008, an estimated 240,627 blacks with and AIDs diagnosis has died in the United States (CDC, 2012). Contrary to the evident statistics affecting the African American population as a whole, there remains a small amount of research studies, dedicated towards HIV/AIDs healthcare promotion and prevention strategies specifically designed for the African American women. However, there is a large proportion of African American women affected by HIV/AIDs. In 2009, black women accounts for 30% of the new estimations of HIV infections among blacks. The rate for HIV infections as compared to other populations is 15 times more than white women, and three times as high for Latina women (CDC, 2012). This is confirmed by social media, primarily directed at African American males. In regards to the African American women, personal beliefs, cultural practices, and social norms act as a backdrop in determining the risk behavior of acquiring HIV/AIDs. This study serves to address the need for prevention strategies among single African American women of 18-22 years of age in college from the middle socioeconomic class. The subjects for the study are voluntary and motivated to learn with...
Words: 2634 - Pages: 11
