The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) is a disease, which impairs the human body’s ability to respond to illnesses by targeting the cells of the immune system. While contemporary treatments can be used to mitigate the primary symptoms of the condition, it is vital to focus on prevention programs for the population at high risk. In this community, it is necessary to discuss the strategies for addressing HIV at the population level, segments of the society that can be affected by the problem, and additional information that can help solve this healthcare threat.
In order to address the prevalence of this disease at the population level, a healthcare professional has to focus on the specifics of the community and behaviors that increase the risks of this infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the specifics of HIV require healthcare professionals to develop programs that will target prevention by adjusting the behavior of individuals (“Prevention,” 2019). The primary strategy is to ensure that populations at risk at the given area, such as African Americans, Latino men, and Caucasians, are informed about the protection methods as well as the dangers of the condition.
The first method involves targeting the behavior of gay men in this community since using a condom is a primary prevention strategy. Additionally, undergoing a test and having only one partner can significantly reduce the risks, which should also be a part of the campaign informing the communicate of HIV (“Prevention,” 2019). It is evident that both partners should be aware of each other’s HIV status. Next, early diagnosis allows using treatment that can suppress the virus, which can be vital for patients. Hence, promoting frequent testing is necessary to detect the signs of HIV at the early stages.
Additional information needs to be collected to address the HIV prevalence. This includes understanding the contextual factors, which contribute to the prevalence of HIV in the given area (“Prevention,” 2019). Hence, information about socio-cultural factors and the economic status of patients will help use combination prevention. According to Ramjee, Moonsamy, Abbai, and Wand (2016), the main risk factors are young age, which can be associated with unsafe sex practices. Therefore, assessing the age of the population in this community can help improve the intervention by tailoring HIV prevention information. Additionally, Ramjee et al. (2016) state that having sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is associated with a high risk of contracting HIV. Finally, not having a regular partner is another risk factor. Collecting this information, as well as data about the existing programs such as the distribution of condoms, information campaigns, sterile syringe interventions, and the socioeconomic status of the inhabitants, is essential.
Other segments of the community that should be involved in this intervention are people who already have HIV. Despite the fact that in this case, HIV is prevalent among gay men, other members of the community can be affected by this virus as well. For example, pregnant women diagnosed with this condition should be aware of the impact that the virus has the fetus. In addition, people that use unsterile syringes, such as people with drug addiction, are at high risk as well. Involving them in the intervention and promoting behaviors that can minimize the risk of developing HIV can be essential for ensuring the safety of the entire community. Young people should receive information about safe sex practices to ensure that they are not infected. In general, when addressing HIV at the population level, it is necessary to focus on prompting behaviors that mitigate the risk of contracting HIV.
References
Prevention. (2019). Web.
Ramjee, G., Moonsamy, S., Abbai, N. S., & Wand, H. (2016). Individual and population level impact of key HIV risk factors on HIV incidence rates in Durban, South Africa. PloS One, 11(4), e0153969. Web.