...and Public Health NRS-427v Dr. A. Cline-Owens, RN, Ph.D. December 14, 2015 Epidemiology: HIV Epidemiology is the science of studying the history, causes and treatment of diseases and infections. Epidemiological information is used by nurses to identify high risk populations with preventable health conditions (Maurer & Smith, 2013). Human Immunodeficiency Virus, also referred to as HIV, is a preventable sexually transmitted disease that requires persistent monitoring by healthcare professionals. Community health nurses play a pivotal role in supporting efforts against HIV by understanding and exploring the epidemiology of HIV through collecting, reporting and analyzing data related to the determinants of health. Simply put, HIV is a virus that attacks a person’s immune system. It specifically affects CD4 cells which are also called T cells. These cells are what the body uses for an immune response. HIV destroys the T cells that fight infection leaving the patient susceptible to immune system compromise. This results in the patient being open to opportunistic infections that lead to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS, as it is commonly referred as, is a progression of HIV after the CD4 count falls to 200 or less (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). HIV is transmitted by bodily fluids such as blood, semen, breastmilk, and vaginal secretions. Anal sex carries the highest risk of transmittal however blood transfusions, needle sharing and breastfeeding...
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...two unrelated disease mechanisms and discuss all stages of prevention methods for each one. A disease is the alteration of a normal state of an organism which impairs or in a similar way interrupts the usual activities of the vital functions. It can be seen by means of signs and symptoms and each and every disease carries distinguished observations. Since a disease is associated with signs and symptoms, it can be interpreted to be a medical condition. It can also be acquired by environmental factors like for example infectious diseases. Apart from the physical factors which may affect an individual during a disease, the latter may also be affected mentally and emotionally like for example by showing deviant behaviour which may later on affect not only the affected individual but also other people surrounding him/her. There exist three different types of disease. ‘Localised diseases’ affect just one part of the body. Athlete’s foot and conjunctivitis are two examples. The second type of disease is called ‘disseminated disease’. This type of disease is able to spread from one part of the body to another like for example carcinoma which can easily radiate from one organ to another and metastasize. The third and final type of disease is the ‘systemic disease’ which involves the spreading of disease throughout the whole body. Such examples include diabetes, influenza and high blood pressure. Some diseases are contagious which can be transmitted from one individual...
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...1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Sexually transmitted diseases Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) amongst adolescents are a worldwide growing health problem. Approximately one million people contract sexually transmitted infections every day and 50% of them are adolescents aged 15-24 years (Lazarus, Sihvonen-Riemenschneider, Laukamm-Josten, Wong & Liljestrand, 2010). STDs include many different sexually transmittable infectious diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital herpes, human papilloma virus (HPV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and syphilis. An STD is transmitted through vaginal, oral and anal sexual contact as well as through blood products. STDs can also be transmitted from mother to child during childbirth. Untreated chlamydia and gonorrhoea can lead to salpingitis for women and to epididymitis for men, which can affect fertility and in worst case lead to sterility. Hepatitis B, genital herpes, HPV and HIV are still incurable infections. HPV can lead to cervical cancer and HIV to premature death. The only way to protect oneself from contracting an STD is consistent condom use (Vårdguiden, 2011). Another term that is used in the literature is STI (sexually transmitted infection), which refers to the infection itself, whereas STD, which is the term that will be used in this paper, refers to the disease caused by an infection (TeenHealthFX, 2009). 1.2 Knowledge of STDs among adolescents A study based in Northern Thailand by Paz-Bailey et al. (2003) showed that...
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...Epidemiology: HIV/AIDS Grand Canyon University: NRS 427V-0101 July 27, 2014 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that can potentially lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The human body has the capability of clearing most viruses with T-cells or CD4 cells that are part of the immune system, but unlike most viruses, HIV is a virus the body cannot fight, it is for life. HIV is transmitted through bodily fluids such as semen, pre-seminal fluids, vaginal fluid, rectal fluids, blood, and breast milk of an infected person. (AIDS.gov, 2014) HIV can hide in the bodies’ cells for long periods of time and attack the key cells responsible for fighting infections and diseases. HIV leads to AIDS when the virus destroys and depletes the CD4 cells and leaves the body vulnerable to disease and infection. Symptoms of HIV will vary from individual to individual since there are different stages of the disease. Acute retroviral syndrome (ARS) occurs in the first two to four weeks after a person has been exposed and infected. Typical symptoms experienced are flu-like symptoms such as a rash, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, fever, sore throat, headache, and joint/muscle pain which can last a few days to weeks. Although ARS is common, not all people that are infected will experience the typical symptoms. After the initial symptoms of ARS, HIV can go unnoticed for years called the latency stage. The progression of AIDS occurs once the latency stage has depleted enough CD4 cells...
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...study of health-related trends in populations for the purposes of disease prevention health maintenance, and health protection (Lewis, 2011). In addition to that, it focuses on relationships among an agent a host, and an environment. Their interactions determine the development and cessation of communicable diseases, and they form a web of causality, which increases or decreases the risk of disease (Lewis, 2011).One of the communicable diseases that cause a great fear nowadays throughout the world is HIV. The layout of the paper focuses on the descriptions, demographics, health determinants and role of the community health nurse. Good intro Description of Communicable Disease HIV is a fragile virus. It can only be transmitted under specific conditions that allow contact with infected blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk (Lewis, Sharon, 2011). Transmission of HIV occurs through sexual intercourse with an infected partner, exposure to HIV infected blood or blood products and perinatal transmission during pregnancy at delivery, or through breastfeeding (Lewis, Sharon, 2011). Causes The HIV is a RNA virus. RNA virus are called retroviruses (Lewis, Sharon, 2011). Like all viruses, HIV cannot replicate unless it is inside a living cell. Initial infection with HIV results in large amounts of virus in the blood. HIV infects human cells with CD4 receptors on their surfaces. Immune dysfunction in HIV disease is predominantly the result of damage to and destruction of CD4...
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...Andrea Elena Medina Grand Canyon University: NRS-427V Concepts in Community and Public Health Thursday, December 08, 2015 Benchmark Assignment: The Epidemiology of Hepatitis B A major global health issue impacting the international health community is Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is viral condition that injures the liver due to the attempt to eliminate the virus, leading to progressive liver disease and cirrhosis (Hepatitis B (HBV, Hep B), 2014). The incidence of cirrhosis developing in people with chronic HBV is 8-20% (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2013; European Association for the Study of the Liver, 2012); the annual incidence of HBV-related liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, is 2-5% of people with cirrhosis (EASL, 2012). A person infected with Hepatitis B can transmit the virus to another person who hasn’t been affected by Hepatitis B in several ways. People can become infected with the virus when they come into contact with contaminated blood, semen and when other body fluids mix with the uninfected person’s body fluids. Examples of transmission occur from sexual contact, blood transfusion before the year 1992, sharing of needles or syringes, and from mother to baby at birth. Hepatitis B can be an acute, or short-term, illness for some people but for others, it can often lead to a lifelong chronic infection. The risk for chronic infection is related to a person’s age at the time of infection: “Approximately 90% of infected infants become chronically...
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...the early 1800’s and has slowly spread across the world. HIV is a virus that eventually leads to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The human body is unable to rid itself of this virus, meaning it is a lifelong illness that necessitates lifelong treatment. There is no cure, although scientists worldwide are actively and diligently working towards one. The virus directly attacks specific cells in our body which are called T-cells. It invades the T-cell and uses them to replicate itself, destroying the T-cell in the process. T-cells help our bodies in the defense against infection and disease and when they are depleted and destroyed, cause and increase in susceptibility to infection and disease. When these cells are depleted to a dangerous level, the disease process then transitions to AIDS. HIV is transmitted from person to person through bodily fluids. It can be passed through sexual acts, accidental needle punctures (health care workers), or intended needle punctures (drug users). The bodily fluids that transmit HIV are blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, and breast milk. A person must come in contact with one of these fluids with their own broken...
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...is a non-curable disease that was discovered in 1983. HIV attacks the body’s immune system, specifically the CD4 cells, also known as T cells. Over time HIV continues to multiply in the body and destroy the cells that help the body to fight infection. With the continuous break down of the body’s immune system the body becomes a target for opportunistic cancers and infections to take advantage. Signs and symptoms of HIV vary from person to person and may take weeks to month to develop any type of symptoms, some people will show no signs at all. During the early stages of infection common signs will result in flu-like symptoms such as, fever, chills, night sweats, mouth ulcers, sore throat, ect. As HIV continues to progress in to the clinical latency stage, also known as “chronic HIV infection” there is very low levels of disease reproduction. During this stage of infection patients may have very mild symptoms or none at all. The last stage of HIV is the progression to AIDs. During this stage of the disease patients will commonly experience flu-like symptoms accompanied by rapid weight loss, fatigue, swelling of lymph node, discomfort of mouth, anus, or genitals, discoloration of skin or inner mouth, eyelids or nose. Patients may also experience depression, memory loss and other neurologic disorders. Although these are common signs and symptoms the only way to determine an infection is with a positive HIV test. HIV is not an easily contracted disease and can only be...
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...is to discuss the relevancy of the vulnerable population, and the disease for this group. The vulnerable population that has been chosen is mental illness, and the disease for this population is AIDS/HIV. There will be a definition and description of epidemiology in regards to HIV/AIDS, with the steps and method that was used. The Epidemiological Triangle will be define and identified, and the different types of epidemiology. The population chosen characteristics such as the influenced population’s vulnerability. This essay will also examine the values and potential cultural biases with cultural considerations that may impact health issues. There are legal and ethical consideration when working with the mentally ill. Describing the relationship of the disease to varies levels of prevention. Relevant population and the disease of this population The mentally ill the population and the disease is AIDS/HIV. Mental disorders are indiscriminate. They occur across the span and affect persons of all races, cultures genders and educational and socioeconomic group. One of the leading cause of disability is mental illness. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and AIDS have had an enormous political and social impact on society. Nearly 75% of new HIV infections occur in persons between 30-49 years may result in disrupted families and lost careers and economic productivity. (Stanhope, 2012, p317) HIV is transmitted through exposure to blood, semen, transplanted organs, vaginal secretions...
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...English 12312/15/14 | Disparity of Healthcare with Patients with AIDS/HIV For the last thirty years AIDS/HIV has been a controversial topic, but more recently, the disease itself has not been controversial but the disparity in receiving proper care both in prevention modalities and active treatment for the disease. While the Obama administration has taken steps toward the elimination of these disparities through the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and Implementation Plan, there is still much work to be done. This brief highlights underexplored explanations for these disparities and outlines possible solutions to begin addressing them. Oftentimes, popular culture has offered unfortunately erroneous explanations for the stark racial disparate impact of HIV/ AIDS. The mass media, for example, has suggested that black men “on the down low” infect black women by secretly sleeping with male partners, acting as a bisexual “bridge” between gay and straight communities. But public health scholars have found little support for this theory. Many may assume that black people suffer from greater HIV prevalence because they are considered less sexually responsible than whites. Yet several studies have shown that black women and black men who have sex with men—the two groups most severely impacted by HIV/AIDS—have similar numbers of sexual partners and use condoms as often as their white counterparts. Thus, behavioral risk factors, while important, cannot fully explain the racial disparity. Instead...
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...Vulnerable Populations Introduction Health is a state of optimum well-being, a human right and a social goal. The public health mission is to provide and assure conditions that promote health in the community. Public health, epidemiology and nursing practice share the same goal of disease prevention and control. By definition, epidemiology is the study of population in order to monitor the health of the population, understand the determinants of health and disease in the community, and investigate and evaluate interventions to prevent disease and maintain health. (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Epidemiology today is considered to be the core science of public health and is described as a constellation of disciplines with a common mission: optimal health for the whole community (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2008). Epidemiology has reformed public health and continues to strive for disease prevention and health promotion in communities across the world. The population and disease that will be discussed in relation to epidemiology in this paper with be of HIV in the homeless population. This paper will focus on the homeless population in regards to their vulnerability and susceptibility to HIV, along with the epidemiology and levels of prevention. This paper will also discuss the definition and purpose of epidemiology, epidemiological methods...
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...HIV Cause, Treatment, Mortality, Morbidity, Incidence, and Prevalence HIV Causes and Mode of Transmission Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is an acquired disease that infects white blood cells in humans, specifically Killer T cells, which destroys the chances of fighting off common colds and common infections in individuals. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been known to have first erupted from chimpanzees and monkeys in Africa. When hunting for food, humans would come in contact with infected blood, which is believed to be the leading cause of the communicable disease. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can be transmitted through sexually active individuals, blood transfusions, sharing of needles, through pregnancy, or breastfeeding. Infections may be transmitted through semen, infected blood, or vaginal secretions, which also has a possibility to become Acquire Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in some individuals (Mayo Clinic, 2014). HIV Symptoms and Treatment Patients who are infected with Human Immunodeficiency Transmission (HIV), may not experience symptoms for up to ten years. With susceptibility to the disease, individuals are able to spread the disease without realizing they have acquired the illness. Symptoms developed with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) include: Diarrhea, fatigue, fever, vaginal yeast infections, headaches, mouth sores, muscle stiffness, rashes, sore throats, and swollen lymph glands (New York Times, 2014). In order to test for patients...
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...whole community (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2008). Epidemiology has reformed public health and continues to strive for disease prevention and health promotion in communities across the world. The population and disease that will be discussed in relation to epidemiology in this paper with be teens and pregnancy. This paper will explore the role of epidemiology in HPV and teenagers and the contributing factors. This paper will also discuss the definition and purpose of epidemiology, epidemiological methods, the epidemiological triangle, and levels of preventions that is related with HPV and teenagers. Epidemiology is importance to public health in relation to disease prevention and health promotion. According to Stanhope & Lancaster (2008), epidemiology has been defined as the study of the distribution and determinants of health related states or events in specified population and the application of this study to control health problems. Epidemiology is not just “the study of” health in a population; it also involves applying the knowledge gained by the studies to community-based practice (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, n.d.). Epidemiology and its findings in relation to prevalence of diseases among certain populations is a vital ingredient to public health and the overall health of communities. The purpose of epidemiology is to find the cause of diseases that affect certain populations. The findings allow public health officials, leaders, and nurses to assess and...
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...Risky Adolescent Sexual Behavior: The Lack of Parental Supervision and Family Structure At the brink of the twenty-first century, some of the most controversial social issues come from the lack of parental supervision and family structure in the home; some of these issues include teenage pregnancy, statutory rape and the possibility of engaging in sexual activities that result in catching one or more sexually transmitted diseases. One might have a belief that engaging in sexual activity at a young age or before marriage is an immoral act. However, when adolescents grow up by themselves, they struggle to learn a normal sense of morality. Thus, lack of parental supervision and family structure in the home has a negative effect on adolescent sexual behavior. Social norms are the criteria that are used in today’s society in order to differentiate between right from wrong and what is considered normal and what is considered simply absurd. One of the “social norms” that society looks upon as abnormal is the lack of parental supervision and family structure in the home. People in this society tend to insinuate that parents should teach their children right from wrong, as they develop into young adults entering into the “real world”. Sexual Intercourse is natural and usually occurs in every person’s lifetime; however, when there is a lack of supervision and family structure in the home an adolescent’s sexual behavior begins to go astray. Rex Forehand, et al.(1999) states in the article...
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...Epidemiology Betty Foote University of Phoenix Epidemiology: Global and Public Health NUR/408 Michelle Hogsed October 24, 2015 Epidemiology Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted viral infection found in young women that is one of the primary causes of cervical cancer. Sexually active young women, with many different partners, are some of the highest contributors and recipients in the newly infected population. Use of physical barriers, like condoms, during sex, can lessen this transmission. HPV is divided into two groups, low risk, nononcogenic types and high-risk types that can cause cervical dysplasia and in rare cases, cancer. Vaccines provide some protection against developing diseases caused by the virus. Epidemiological studies continue to evolve moving treatment forward for better patient outcome. Education is still the most effective way to deter this behavior that contributes to the HPV infection. Epidemiology is defined as “the study of the occurrence and distribution of health-related states or events in specified populations, including the study of the determinants influencing such states, and the application of this knowledge to control the health problems.” (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012, p. 255). With HPV, public health officials and scientists are constantly following the occurrences of viral spreading and patterns of occurrence. Development of vaccines is based on this data and sample collection. Public health nurses...
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