Introduction
HIV, which stands for Human immune deficiency virus, is the virus that leads to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). It destroys the white blood cells that give the body protection from all forms of diseases and hence weakens the immune system of the body. This paves way for other opportunistic diseases such as tuberculosis. When the body defence system is weakened by the virus, it is unable to fight other diseases that attach it, hence when one is infected with HIV/AIDS; the possibility of having other illnesses is very high compared to someone who is not infected. Having no cure found, it has been declared to be a national disaster in many countries of the world. (Douglas 2006, 13)
Reports show that HIV/AIDS infection rate has greatly increased in most parts of the world in the recent past. In Europe in particular, the rate is growing very rapidly compared to many parts of the world. (Douglas 2006, 13)
Vulnerable Group
The society today has abandoned the rigid norms of a culture that forbids bad behaviour and advocates for morality. In UK, cultural values have faded away leaving people to live immorally in a submissive society, which encourages the will of the majority rather than moral living. (Gerald 2005,29)
In Europe, the most vulnerable groups to HIV/AIDS infection are commercial sex workers, drug users who use injection, men who engage in sex with other men, inmates who are usually locked up in prisons and migrants who leave their home area to look for jobs far away from home. Apart from being a health issue, HIV/AIDS is also a complex problem that affects the social life and the economy of a country. It is also a human rights problem. HIV/AIDS in Europe is seen to have its roots in such areas as poverty, discrimination, inequality, especially gender inequality and lack of proper information about the epidemic. For many years people have kept HIV/AIDS infection underground in fear of the discrimination and stigma associated with it. (Gerald J.Stine 2005,45)
HIV and AIDS infections in UK are high for all age groups ranging from the young generation to the old. It has been noted that, of late the HIV and AIDS infection for those aged fifty years and above has rapidly risen up greatly. The surveillance data from research on HIV infections in UK indicates that in 25,500 adults aged fifty years and above are HIV positive. 31% among these are not aware of their status. This figure recorded in 2006 reflects a double increase of the number recorded on a similar research in 1996. The high increase in the number of people living with HIV among this age group is attributed to continued changes in lifestyle and high increase in population in UK.
Homo/bisexual men in UK is estimated to at 7%, with estimate of a prevalence infection showing that 32,400 homo/bisexual men are HIV positive, of whom 10,500 were men above fifty years. Another reason of the high increase of HIV among the men aged 50 years and above is the high increase of men having unprotected sexual intercourse with young girls aged fifteen –twenty five years. Most of these girls are highly sexually active with multiple partners and hence highly vulnerable target. This happens mostly to the UK men that come to visit Africa. These old men who are loaded with money entice young African girls and boys with their money to have unprotected sex with them. On the other hand the Old UK women that visit Africa use their money to entice the young African men and boys to have sex with them. This increases their chances of HIV/AIDS infection since these young men are very sexually active with more than one sexual partner. Most of these young boys and girls do not insist on safe sex through the use of condoms since most of them do not have adequate education on sex.
Another vulnerable group are those old men and women that abuse drugs. A drug can be defined as any substance which when taken into a living organism may alter one or more of its functions. Drugs can be abused by taking an overdose that can lead to poisoning or prolonged use of a drug leading to tolerance. The mostly abused drugs include: alcohol, tobacco, cocaine and heroine. Drug abuse in UK especially among the old generation is high. This had made these individuals become careless and engage in promiscuous sex that increases their chances of contracting the HIV virus. The most abused drug for by these people is heroine. Heroine are taken through injections. This drug increase the chances of those old men and women that use them getting the virus, because most of these drug users share the un-satirized needles to inject heroine in their body.
The number of commercial sex workers in UK is very high. This is mostly comprised of immigrants who have come to UK to look for jobs. Many of them after failing to secure a job are forced to engage in commercial sex to earn their living. Most of these young men and women that engage in this business are end up being infected with HIV virus since they do not have the power to negotiate for safe sex and especially the women. Many UK old men and women who do not get sexual satisfaction from their partners seek it from the commercial sex workers therefore increasing their chances of contracting HIV/AIDS.
The other factor that has caused high increase of HIV/AIDS infection in UK for those above 50 years is the high increase in crime. This is because the poor UK prisons conditions have also been noted to contribute to the high rate of HIV infection. This is brought about by unsafe sex among inmates as well as sharing of injection needles for those who use injecting drugs. (Barry and George 2005,23)
Estimated Size of Core Population Groups at High Risk of HIV by Country
In UK many strategies have being put into place to address the high raise in HIV infections. These include both preventive and curative measures. In preventive measures people are educate about HIV/AIDS. This comprises its modes of transmissions, preventions and its associated opportunistic diseases. Its modes of transmissions include transmission through blood transfusion. This happen when a HIV/AIDS infected person donates blood to a HIV/AIDS uninfected person. The virus can also be passed from mother to child. The child can contract the HIV virus during birth if the mother is HIV infected. This is because during birth a lot of tissues are ruptured and this can make the mother’s blood come into contact with the blood of the born baby. Hence contracting the deadly disease. Other ways that one can acquire the HIV virus is by sharing of un-sterilized skin piecing instruments. The HIV/AIDS does not have a cure and hence when one contracts the virus they eventually have to die. This is because the HIV virus weakens the body immune system that facilitates the infected person to suffer from opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis, Pneumonia etc.
Currently HIV/AIDS victims are using antiretroviral drugs to boost their immune system. These drugs prevent multiplication of the virus and also prevent the entry of the HIV virus into the human cells. The HIV/AIDS victims are also advised to take drugs that treat opportunistic infections and immunity boosting drugs such as multivitamins.
Effects of HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS have greatly affected the social level of in UK: With the number of people infected with HIV/AIDS increasing, the societies have becomes weaker and many people have lost the strength desires to uphold it. There are many sickly people in the society and most of those who are not infected also become affected as their relatives and friends are infected. It has also increases the UK economy. This is because some of the people who are infected with HIV/AIDS are unable to continue with their work so as to seek medical attention. In some cases, when a person is identified infected with HIV/AIDS, he is discriminated at the workplace and opts to quit to avoid the discrimination.
In both cases, where one is too weak to work and where one quits due to discrimination at the workplace, the infected person depends on others for upkeep as well as for medical attention. They are unable to provide for their families and instead use up some of the family resources. When the infected persons die, they leave behind their orphaned children under the care of relatives. Many families discriminate against the HIV/AIDS orphans and even go to an extent of preventing them from playing with their children. They discourage the integration of AIDS orphans into the society with the fear that they could be infected just like their parents.
The negative treatments of HIV/AIDS victims affect them psychologically. The problems they suffer include: Shock, denial, anger, loneliness and fear. They experience these challenges due to the stigma and discrimination that is associated with HIV/AIDS victims. The UK government is responding well to this problem by educating and encouraging UK residents to give moral support to HIV/AIDS victims to enable them maintain a positive outlook in life. The hospitals in UK also give the HIV infected people proper counselling to enable them accept their HIV positive status. This enables these people to cope with their psychological problems and live a positive life.
Conclusion
Our data confirm the need for national and local prioritisation of sexual health and HIV prevention activities. Interventions such as those outlined in the English Sexual Health and HIV Strategy needs to be implemented urgently. For homo/bisexual men this includes HIV/AIDS education, promotion of safer sex and HIV testing. The strategy has also specifically identified even the old people as a priority group for action and the Department of Health is currently implementing a range of interventions including the National Chlamydia Screening Programme. In the meantime, key interventions for prioritisation include improving access to treatment and care services in hyper endemic areas; raising community HIV/STI awareness; and enhancing secondary prevention activities including partner notification. (Catherine and Campbell 2003,30)
Elsewhere in the United Kingdom, health promotion campaigns aimed at high risk subgroups are being implemented and will undoubtedly require scaling up in the near future. In Wales, for example, the “Come Clean” multimedia campaign has been run by BBC Wales and the Welsh Assembly and is targeted even among the old generation.
Effective secondary prevention activities are also needed to tackle the growing problem of STI re-infection and epidemiological synergy between STIs and HIV infection. Such initiatives need to be fully supported and sustained if further deterioration in the United Kingdom’s sexual health is to be prevented. Finally, although the impact of these initiatives can only be recognised over many years it is important that medium and long term targets are set and progress monitored to ensure the most appropriate, cost effective, and efficient use of scarce resources (Hammers and Downs 2003,112-119).
Many parts of Europe have taken several measures in responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This involves best use of Orem’s model where the UK hospitals are admitting the very sick AIDS patient to give them specialized treatment and care. This comprises mostly the HIV infected who lives for a very long time unaware of their Status. The immune system of these HIV victims becomes very weak and subsequently suffers from opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. Therefore these victims are given specialised attention when admitted and once they regain their health and strength they are discharged and introduced to retro-viral drugs. They are at the same time educated on the importance of observing cleanliness and eating balance diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables to boost their immunity. They are also advised to visit hospitals for check ups on regular intervals. These people are advised to stop involving themselves in sexual intercourse or when they do to use condoms to avoid enhancing multiplying the HIV viruses in their body. The UK government in collaboration with many other NGO’s are highly involved in HIV/AIDS education seminars for both the young and old generations to curb the high spread of this 21st century pandemic. (Douglas& Julia 2006,15)
The UK residents are advised on accepting that the epidemic is a real problem to be dealt with. With this in mind, the government is able to take serious action and include strategic and well-coordinated plans to fight the disease and implement different approaches. People are also encouraged to share good experiences and practices in the war against HIV/AIDS. (Gerald 2005, 10)
In the fight against HIV/AIDS, The United Nations Development Programme has been able to achieve several successes that are both tangible and visible in UK. This has been possible through the leadership for results programme and its initiatives at the regional and the country level. It also works in its role in the global fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria. In all this, UNDP aims at strengthening capacity mainly at the national level, addressing the challenges that face the government and developing leadership at all levels. The four key areas, which UNDP deals with, are: prevention of HIV/AIDS infection, Care for those infected with the virus, Support and finally Treatment. It forcefully works towards reduction of vulnerability. Through these measure HIV/AIDS infections in UK and especially among the old generations will reduce greatly. (Tony and Alan 2003, 105)
References
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Catherine Campbell (2003) Why HIV/AIDS Prevention Programmes Fail, Oxford University Press: London pgs 21-55.
Douglas A and Julia W. (2006) The AIDS Crisis, Greenwood Press: London pgs 13-17.
Gerald J.Stine (2005) AIDS Update. Prentice Hall New York pgs 9-12.
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