Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Research Question (Essay Sample)

Introduction
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a type of lentivirus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) if left untreated for elongated periods (Sax, Cohen, & Kuritzkes, 2014). The condition leads to progressive failure of the immune system making the body susceptible to opportunistic diseases and infections. Unlike other viruses, a human body bearing the virus cannot get rid of the virus. HIV invades the CD4 cells responsible for assisting the immune system fight infections in the human body. While there is no effective cure for the virus, early detection coupled with treatment can control the spread of the virus in the body. This exposition dwells into the causes, factors that contribute to the development of the illness and the role of health nurses and organizations in addressing the challenges arising from the virus.
According to Stine (2014), there are numerous causes of HIV. The major cause of HIV is unprotected sex with multiple partners. Sexual contact facilitates the transmission of the virus from one person to another. Other causes of HIV include sharing of sharp objects such as needles, mother to the baby transmission before and after birth, sharing of the sex toys with an infected person, and blood transfusions from an infected person. HIV lives in the blood and other body fluids. Therefore, HIV is transmitted from one person to another through contact and exchange of semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk and blood from an infected person. While HIV tests may not be positive for as long as three months, infected people may show signs of fever, fatigue, muscle aches, sore throats, and ulcers in the mouth. The symptoms commonly known as the acute retroviral syndrome lasts from few days to a few weeks and decline in activity for up to ten years. It is, therefore, important for sexually active groups to go for testing routinely. The complications of Human Immunodeficiency Virus usually result from weakened immune system. The virus contaminates the brain causing degeneration and problems with thinking hence making the infected person vulnerable to infections. HIV prevention is the key to ensuring there is no spread of the virus. However, antiretroviral virus treatment can help prevent, mitigate and reverse the adverse impacts of the HIV infection. To enhance effectiveness in reducing the adverse effects, patient need to take their prescription in line with their physicians’ prescriptions.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014), incidences of fresh HIV infections take place throughout the year. In the United States, around 50,000 new people are infected with the virus every year. Nearly two-thirds of the new infections occur in gay and bisexuals. The estimated diagnosis is largest in youths aged 20-24 years. The diagnosis, however, decreases with increase in age. It is critical to note that the group is the most sexually active group. The prevalence estimate of people with HIV stands at an estimated 1.5 million people in the United States alone. CDC estimates that over 13,000 persons died from AIDS-related infections and diseases in 2014 in the US. Internationally, HIV continues to be a menace and a serious health issue. There are over 36 million individuals living with the illness, with over 2 million fresh cases of infection reported every year. Nearly 40 million people have since died from complications emanating from the HIV/AIDS since the pop out of the epidemic. Worldwide, the sub-Saharan Africa bears the ultimate burden of the epidemic. In addition, the health issue is a significant menace in some countries in Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
Boccia, Villari, and Ricciardi (2015) identify the determinants of wellness as policymaking, health services, individual conduct, biology, genetics and social factors. Policymaking contributes to the development of HIV through legislation of federal, state and local policies that aim to promote the development of the virus. Policies designed to discriminating people with aids tend to increase not only the stigma associated with the disease but also develop new infections. Discrimination, lack of job opportunities, concentrated poverty, exposure to violence and lack of social support among other social factors promote the development of the virus. The need for decent living propels girls and women into prostitution hence increasing the risk and the rate of contracting the virus and subsequent transmission to other individuals. On the other hand, lack of access to health services promotes the development of the disease. Lack of testing centers and the high cost of health services limit infected people from seeking medical treatment thereby resorting to transmitting the disease to uninfected persons. Furthermore, high levels of poverty inhibit infected individuals from access to healthy diet leading to early deaths. Individual behaviors such as alcohol and drug abuse promote sexual activities especially in brothels thereby contributing to new infections with the virus. Some biological factors such as age and sex, aid the development of the illness. For example, statistics show that diagnosis of the infection is more prevalent in youthful. In addition, gay and bisexual people are more susceptible to new infections.
The major host factors for HIV include males, multiple sexual partners, men who have sexual activity with other men and mothers infected with the virus. The above factors play host to the virus, which develops within their bodies and later transmitted to other persons. Entry of HIV into the human body occurs in a multi-step process that climaxes with the fusion of cellular and viral membranes. CD4 cells act as the primary host for HIV-1 after which the conformational change in the viral environment ensues in engagement with either CXCR4 or CCR5 viral co-receptors (Corrigan, 2014). The critical environmental factors for HIV include poverty, chronic joblessness, behavioral norms and male incarceration. Poverty and chronic unemployment prompt young girls and women to engage in sexual activities especially prostitution to earn a livelihood while behavioral patterns such as alcohol and drug abuse promote development of the virus as a result of recklessness as sex with multiple partners. Furthermore, male incarceration encourages the growth of the virus through unprotected sex.
Community health nurse has the responsibility of visiting patients in health centers and homes. Accordingly, the nurse has the obligation of encouraging residents to go for voluntary testing to ascertain their HIV status. Encouraging people to undergo testing is instrumental in identifying new cases of infections and establish ways of dealing with such cases. Data on new infections is important as it allows for the identification of possible mutations of the virus. Data collecting on the developments is hardy for scientists. Data a...