Human Immunodeficiency Virus: A Brief Description about the Demographic Statistics of California - Essay Example

? HIV and AIDS in California: Focus on Afro American Males aged 18-50 years. A Brief about the Demographic and Geographic statistics of California California is situated on the west coast of the United States, and it ranks number one when it comes to population size per state (RTP, 2010). The state occupies a total surface area of 163,696 square miles. The population of California has undergone a tremendous growth in the last five decades. In 1970, the population of California was estimated to be close to 20 million people. However, the census results released in 2010 revealed that the population of California had risen to 37.25 million people (RTP, 2010). The state is home for millions of people with various backgrounds. The majority of the population of California is found in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fresno, San Diego and in the Capital city of Sacrament (RTP, 2010). Close to 58 percent of the population speak English while Spanish comes second at 28%. The U.S census conducted in 2010 reported that Non Hispanic Whites and Asian communities form 40.1% and 13% of the population respectively. On the other hand, African American and Indian American communities form 6.3% and 1.0% respectively. People from 2 or more races contribute 4.9% of the population in California. In addition Hispanic and Latinos make a total of 36.75 of the total population in California. Thus, the state has citizens from different racial-ethnic, religious and national backgrounds (RTP, 2010). HIV/AIDS and California The state of California has the second highest HIV prevalence rate after New York (CDPH, 2009). Close to 190 000 people had contracted HIV by April 2009 (CDPH, 2009). According to a report by California department of Public health, Blacks have a higher chance of contracting HIV, followed by Hispanics. The report also indicated that HIV prevalence in California is higher in males than in females. Females contribute only 11.9% of all the people living with HIV in this state. Most of transmission in males occurs via homosexuality (MSM) (64.9%). Most of the HIV victims live in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area. In addition, 0.7% of inmates had contracted HIV according to a report released in 2005 by the California department of public health. In summary the top ten HIV counties are as follows Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Alameda, Sacramento, Santa Clara and Costra Rica respectively (CDPH, 2009). On the other hand, the top ten AIDS counties include Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Alameda, Orange, River Side, Santa Clara, Santa Bernardino, Sacramento and Costra Rica respectively(CDPH, 2009). HIV/AIDS and California: Focus on males aged 18-50 years According to California department of Pubic Health, by 31st March 2009, African Americans constituted 7% of California’s total population. Amazingly, they represent 19.1% of HIV cases and 17.9% of cumulative AIDS cases in California. Since the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is high in African Americans, California is not an exception. Most importantly, African American males are the most affected. The most prevalent mode of transmission is through men who have sex with men (MSM) and MSA/Injection Drug users (MSM/IDU) (CDPH, 2009). However, other modes of transmissions like heterosexual contact also contribute significantly to the spread of HIV in males of California. Males in the age groups that range from late teenage to early 50s (sexually active males) are the most vulnerable. This is the most useful age group to any given population. Thus, AIDS pandemic threatens California’s workforce and men of the reproductive age. In 2002, the institute of medicine (IOM, 2006) published a report dubbed “Unequal Treatment” which gave an analysis of racial health disparities in the U.S. The report indicated that African Americans and Hispanics find it more difficult to access healthcare when compared to their White counter parts. In addition, the African American and Hispanic communities (considered as minorities) receive health care of poor quality. The effect is much higher in populous states like California. Thus, marginalized social status and stigma make Afro American males vulnerable to HIV infection (IWH, 2006). Transmission is high in non educated Afro American Males and those with low education levels. Low income, poor and inequitable medical access, marginalization, low education and drug abuse are the key factors contributing to the spread of HIV in males of the reproductive age California (IWH, 2006). Community Resources and Partners addressing this Health concern Office of AIDS (OA) in California notes that Afro Americans encounter immense geographical, cultural and structural barriers that justify the importance of using culturally grounded interventions in preventing HIV (HAAAMC, 2009). OA has established various strategic to HIV and AIDS in Afro American communities. OA has established a dedicated staff specialist position whose main roles include devising projects, programs and policies, and providing leadership and consultation services that concern Afro Americans. OA has led to the creation of The California African American HIV/AIDS Coalition (CAAHAC). OA offers various logistic and technical supports to CAAHAC which focuses on five key regions; the bay area, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Riverside and San Diego (HAAAMC, 2009). OA also oversees regional capacity building trainings on essential behavioral interventions. Amongst the most beneficial capacity building trainings developed so far include SISTA (Sisters informing Sisters on the Topic of AIDS) and African American MSN cultural competency dubbed Facing the Invisible Man (HAAAMC, 2009). In January 2009, OA offered tailored technical assistance to 22 CBOs and coalitions in the vast California state. Most importantly, OA offered planning and development assistance, website designs, marketing, tracking and documentation systems, outreach programs and program evaluation. Other community based organizations involved in addressing this health challenge are BRUTHAS, FeMAALES, HOLLA, and MAALES. Other organizations are Black Gay Men’s Advocacy Coalition, Black AIDS institute, National Medical Association, National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, and National Association of Black Social Workers. OA also works in hand with Black Health Infant Program that aims at reducing perinatal HIV transmission. Most importantly, OA and CDPH work in hand with local communities in order to impact positively on public health by partnering with CBOs, Local health jurisdictions and other health service providers (HAAAMC, 2009). Issues not addressed Despite heightened efforts by the above organizations, some fundamental issues are still unresolved. This may be so because they are not within the mandate of the above organizations. Such factors drag behind the effort of stakeholders. They include: Drug Abuse Drug abuse is a significant risk factor for HIV and AIDS. It has been note that a substantial number of male patients living with AIDS or those that have recently contracted HIV got it through Injection Drug Users (IDU). Since drug abuse is prohibited, most addicts inject themselves with abusive substances in secret. Some do it under very unhygienic conditions. There is a possibility of syringe sharing. Consequently, those who have already contracted HIV can transmit the virus to the new drug recruits. It is exceedingly difficult to control IDU HIV infection because addiction forces addicts to inject themselves with abusive substances. Curbing drug addiction is a headache to the federal government thus many stakeholders who fight HIV remain underequipped to handle HIV transmission as a result of drug addiction. Low income Low income is another fundamental factor that contributes to the spread of HIV. As the cost of living continues to rise, many young males in the said age group face different challenges in meeting the demands of life. Eventually, those who get frustrated end up using short cuts in order to meet their daily needs. This drives many young males into social evil activities that make them vulnerable to HIV contraction. Stakeholders come in when the situation is already out of hand; when individuals have already contracted the virus. It is challenging for stakeholders to cater for the needs of everyone in tying to prevent HIV infection. The most they can do is to educate the public and offer consultation services. Gay Relationships Another critical issue is the gay factor. Most males contract HIV through homosexual intercourse. Sex with other men is a leading cause of HIV in males. Stake holders’ efforts to curb HIV infection do not address this issue comprehensively. However, it is understandable because a lot of uncertainties surround gay relationships. Education On the other hand, it has been noted that a substantial number of HIV victims have little education or no education at all. This is another fundamental risk factor that does not directly cause HIV but acts as the breeding ground for other factors. Certainly, those with little or no education find it had to access opportunities. Consequently, they find it hard to carter for their lives especially in meeting the daily needs and healthcare needs. Thus, some of them end up engaging in social evil activities. Eventually, most of them end up contracting HIV. The government needs to make education affordable and accessible to all and encourage young people to go to school. Learning does not only give individuals and edge in life, but also equips them with long term problem solving skills. Marginalization of the Afro American Community Lastly, the marginalization of Afro American communities serves as another risk factor that has not been addressed adequately. The problem is partly historical in nature and is interlinked to other factors making it challenging to handle. Outcomes for improvement related to this health concern Stakeholders should not only aim at addressing the challenges that face people living with AIDS but they should also endeavor to address the above fundamental challenges. This will assist in the prevention of the pandemic before it riches an uncontrollable stage. Therefore, they should aim at curbing drug abuse, creating opportunities for young people, handling gay matters in a sensible manner, mitigating for affordable and accessible education and removing social-ethnic barriers that marginalize Afro Americans . This will be essential in addressing fundamental HIV risk factors in California and other states at large. Planning Public Health Nurses offer their services in schools, jails, communities, homes clinics and mobile settings (MDH, 2001). They work hand in hand with communities, individuals and families in selected communal settings, and the health systems that influence the health systems of those communities. All public health nurses employ a set of interventions in accomplishing their objectives. This set of interventions fall in the intervention wheel (MDH, 2001). Nurse in California can utilize this model in addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the state. This model integrates three significant components that include the population in focus, three levels of public health practice (community, systems and individual/family) and 17 public health interventions (MDH, 2001). The 17 public health interventions are surveillance, disease and health threat investigation, outreach, screening, case finding, referral and follow up, case management, delegated functions, health teaching, counseling, consultation, collaboration, coalition building, community organization, advocacy, social marketing and policy development and enforcement (MDH,2001). Population based interventions are not based only on those who seek service, the vulnerable or the poor. It begins by identifying the population at risk or individuals within the population who are at risk. In this case, the males aged between 18-50 years in the state of California are at risk contracting HIV. These interventions can only be termed as community based if they are guided by the examination of health status that is established through a community based health assessment process. The intervention combines primary, secondary and tertiary prevention strategies. Thus, nurses can employ this model in handling HIV/AIDS pandemic in California. However, nurses alone cannot manage the crisis; they require the cooperation of other key players in the healthcare system, the government and other well wishers. The private sector, NGOs, community based organizations, healthcare institutions, the police department; institutions of higher leaning should collaborate in the fight against HIV in California. Experts from these organizations need to offer logistic, planning, education based and planning assistance. On the other hand, the government should fund proposed projects and also hasten their fight against drug abuse. These strategies will enable the stakeholders to handle the fundamental issue that lead to the spread of HIV. Thus, young people will be encouraged to enroll into learning institutions, drug addiction cases will decline, people will become informed and job or business opportunities will be availed. These strategies can take up to five years before notable benefits are seen. There should be benchmarks set to monitor the progress of the projects either bi-annually or annually. Evaluation A number of methodologies can be employed to evaluate the success of the above strategies. This can be done by examining the number of school recruits that joined schooling within this period. All institutions should be on trained how to record the required data so that ne entrants who join schooling as a result of the set strategies can be identified. On the other hand, the healthcare system will be a significant tool for providing information on new HIV/AIDS statistics. The healthcare systems should be in a position to document transmission statistics within the set period. The police department will be helpful in evaluating the statistics related to drug addiction. Individuals who will benefit from the set programs will need to document their beneficial levels at the end of the five term period. This will be essential in determining how economical empowerment reduces HIV prevalence. In addition, infection due to drug use and homosexuality will be evaluated from healthcare data to establish whether there was any progress. Conclusion California comes second after New York in terms of HIV/AIDS prevalence. In addition the state is the most populous in the U.S. Thus, HIV/AIDS pandemic is a major challenge facing this state. Most importantly, Afro American males in the productive age group (18-50 years) are the most vulnerable. Their risk of contacting HIV is heightened by low income, poor education, gay relationships, drug addiction, marginalization and inequitable health access. The transmission rates are mainly through homosexual intercourse and IDU. This health concern challenges the reproductive age of California. Thus, it calls for immediate intervention. Public health Nurse can play a crucial role in addressing this health concern. They can do so by employing the intervention model in addressing the health concern. The model enables nurses to work with other stake holders in addressing health related challenges that affect communities. Thus, public health nurses can employ this model in addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic in California. References California Departmentof Public Health (CDPH). (2009). California HIV Statistics. Sacrament: California Public Health Department. HIV among African Amertican Males in Carlifonia.(HAAAMC) (2009). Sacramento: Retrieved 9 april 2012 from http:// www. cdph.ca.gov/programs/aids/documents. Minessota Department of Health(MDH). (2001). Public Health Inverntions: Applications for Public Health Nursing Practice. Minessota: Minessota Department of Health. Resident Population Data(RPT). (2010). Retrievd on 8 April 201- from http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php. The Institute for Work and Health(IWH). (2006). Primary, Secondary and Tertiay Prevention. Toronto: The Institute of Work and Health. Appendix 1: Community genogram Demographic features California occupies 163,696 square miles. Population: 37.25 million people (most populous state) Non Hispanic Whites: 40.1% Asian Communities: 13% Afro Americans: 6.3% Indian Americans: 1% Communities from 2 or more races; 4.9% Latinos and Hispanics: 37% General HIV/AIDS statistics in California 2nd highest HIV prevalence Close to 190,00 people had HIV in 2009 Afro Americans are the most vulnerable ethnic group HIV/AIDS most prevalent in Afro American Males Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fresno, San Diego and in the Capital city of Sacramento regions are the most affected. Focus on Afro African Males 18-50 years Low income, poor and inequitable medical access, marginalization, low education and drug abuse are the major factors contributing to the spread of HIV in males of the reproductive age California. The most prevalent mode of transmission is through men who have sex with men (MSM) and MSA/Injection Drug users (MSM/IDU) Mode of Transmission Mainly through MSM and MSN/ IDU, MSM and MSM/IDU constitute 70% of all newly HIV infected Afro American males. Community Diagnosis: HIV/AIDS most prevalent in Afro American ethnic Community: males of the reproductive age most affected. Transmission mainly through MSM. Low income, poor and inequitable medical access, marginalization, low education and drug abuse are the major factors contributing to the spread of HIV in males of the reproductive age California. Appendix 2: California Demographics-1 Source: agoldendoor.com Appendix 3: California Demographics-2 Source: safetrec.berkerly.edu Appendix 3: California Demographics-3 Source: freedomkentucky.org Appendix 4: The Map of California Source: 1997 MAGELLAN Geographix (805) 685-3100 www.maps.com Appendix 5: AIDS data in California. Modes of HIV transmission in Afro American Males in California Source: thebody.com Appendix: 6 Transmission categories in California. Source: lewwaters.wordpress.com Read More