a study of an infectious disease: HIV/AIDS

Question 1

What is the global distribution if HIV/AIDS:

Answer 1

HIV is most prominant in LEDCS where they are significantly less educated and are not aware of the causes and prevention of the spread.

• However it is most common within Africa, in particular within zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.
• 66% of the population living with HIV/AIDS are in sub-saharan africa.

However the areas with the highest number of new HIV infections are firstly sub-saharan Africa with a value of 2.8 million, followed by Asia 960,000 and then eastern Europe

• significantly less prominant within MEDCS as they are aware of the prevention and can seek early treatment as a result of the advanced healthcare and access to antiretoviral drugs.

Sub Saharan Africa is the epicentre of HIV/AIDS with 32% of all HIV sufferers live in sub-saharan Africa and 34% of all HIV deaths occur there

Question 2

How is HIV/AIDS spread?

Answer 2

• exchange of bodily fluids during sexual intercourse
• contaminated needles in intravenous drug use (IDU)
• contaminated blood transfusions
• from mother to fetus during pregnancy

Question 3

How does HIV attack and infect the body?

Answer 3

The human immuno-deficiency virus infects the white blood cells by literally rewriting the structure of itself backwards (retro) in to them and reproducing itself inside the cells.

Question 4

Symptoms of HIV:

Answer 4

• general cold
• flu
• headache
• lesions on the skin

Question 5

How does it impact an individual socially

Answer 5

• they may be ostracised in their social life
• even children may be ostracised at school if one of their parents has the disease
• children may be withdrawn from school in order to look after their parents - therefore they miss out on an education and the possibility of job opportunities
• children may be orphaned as their parents may die - therefore they miss out on an upbringing.

Question 6

How does it impact an individual economically:

Answer 6

• they can suffer prejudice in the work place, also in a worst case scenario, if the employer finds out, they may be made redundant which would result in them being deprived of an income.
• life expectancy falls significantly, consequently a country may lose their economically active generation and therefore they will not be able to contribute to the economy. Increase in deondeny ratio
• an individuals income will be diverted from focusing on the family, to focusing on healthcare and treatment which can be very expensive.
• must pay for medical expenses and funeral expenses

Question 7

Prevention of the disease:

Answer 7

• practising safe sex/abstinence from sex - e.g. use of condoms
• screening blood donors
• using sterile medical equipment

Question 8

Treatment

Answer 8

There is no cure for AIDS but you can slow the develoment of HIV in to AIDS through the use of anti-Retroviral drugs

Question 9

Case study of HIV/AIDS: southern africa

Answer 9

SOUTHERN AFRICA
Why is it so prevalent?
- mobile population
-lack of education about sex and hygeine
- issues with contraception distribution, accessing them, affording them and men overcoming the reluctance to use them
- gender inequality - in some African countries men are socially dominant, which makes women less likely to insist on condom use and therefore they are more vulnerable
- limited healthcare - less likely to be diagnosed and more likely to pass on the disease.

Question 10

Impacts culturally:

Answer 10

Depleting numbers of certain populations such as tribes - collectivist culture

Question 11

Impacts politically

Answer 11

Governmental parties will redirect their policies to suit the needs of the infected population