Question

Discuss some of the factors, including local and federal politics that inhibited the early war against AIDS.

a. What would have happened if CDC had more support to investigate the initial outbreak?

b. What changes in policy and medicine have improved the life span of HIV positive individuals?

c. Have the factors you identified in 4b, changed more than just the lifespan? Identify at least one way in which these factors have impacted Public health work to end HIV.

Answer 1

ANSWER 1) An outbreak occurs when ther more number of cases of disease than normally expected to come over a specific time and place. We need to investigate to determine what is happening and to prevent other people from getting sick or dying. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a federal agency of United States that conducts and supports health promotion, prevention and preparedness activities in US with a goal to improve overall public health.

During an initial outbreak, CDC coducts an investigation and provides technical assistance including consultation, lab testing, patient management and care, tracking of cases and infection control to cities and states affected by outbreak of disease. The activity of CDC depends on its number scientist they have,quality of laboratories, means to spread their findings. The determine the cause of illness, source of infection, modes of transmission, how to break the transmission chain, prevent further cases and provide best treatment to existing cases. If CDC had more support to investigate the initial outbreak then it could have stopped the disease from becoming pandemic. In all epidemic cases. early identification of cases is crucial so that early treatment can be activated. Likewise support to CDC would have improved its efficiency and speed to evolve measure to fight the spread of diseases and to discover remedies at an early stage faster than what was performed. Thereby, this would have resulted in decreased number of reported cases and mortality due to HIV/AIDS.

ANSWER 2) The outlook people living with HIV have improved significantly since past two decades. The life expectancy of the HIV positive individuals have increased when regularly taking antiretroviral treatment. The evolution of new antiretroviral treatment has added to the old antiretroviral treatment which have developed a highly effective HIV treatment regimen. This treatment requires taking three or more antiretroviral medications daily which slows the damage of HIV infection and prevent it from developing to stage 3 HIV or AIDS.

The news about the success of antiretroviral therapy in managing the disease have motivated people to avail medical facilities and to undergo screening test. The policies that have been adopted are community participation and integrated approach to increase appropriate HIV testing in primary care. This would not only detect the cases earlier but would also help to initiate treatment at early phase which will improve the further life expectancy among the HIV positive individuals.

ANSWER 3) The use of antiretroviral therapy and the integrated approach towards fight against HIV have brought about other changes thats more than a lifespan. A person's inner will power and confidence on treatment is very important to fight the war against any disease especially when the disease is life threathening and long term. The success of antiretroviral therapy is directly proportional to the early detection of cases. Those if identified earlier can be started with treatment earlier, thus more chances of increased life expectancy. The success of antiretroviral therapy have created a positive approach of the individual towards treatment and HIV. This has reduced the panic stage that existed as there was no proven treatment of the disease and death was sure. It enable people improve their perspective about themselves and other who is suffering from HIV. It have helped and supported people to resume their normal lifestyle and standard of living as it used to be before being affected with HIV. The early detection of cases and the use of advance treatment has fostered hope to survive more in a better condition with reduced suffering.

The adequate education and counselling about HIV and its transmission have encouraged public to adopt the initiatives to prevent disease transmission. People who are now aware of the modes of transmission of disease, acquire protective means i.e use of condoms during sex, maintaining healthy sex relation with their own partners, reduced cases of drug users and screening of blood for HIV before transfusion. Thus these joined efforts of the community with the healthcare industry and health care personnels, have a strong impacted on the public health work to end HIV.