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Public Health Issue of HIV Infection in Australia
HIV/AIDS is one of the globally renowned pandemics. The disease is a great public health challenge. Notably, many people have lost their lives due to this condition. In addition, there are several negative impacts of HIV/AIDS within various countries. It is evident that the condition has significant economic implications. There is a depletion of human resources (Falola & Heaton, 2007). This is due to the rise in the level of mortality and health complications related to the condition. Australia is one of the states that presently experience these detrimental impacts of HIV/AIDS. There are various challenges that emanate from the incidence of health complications. Australia continuously encounters different negative effects. These are notable within diverse sectors. The financial sector is one of the potentially affected areas within Australia (Johnson, 2010). It is important to examine the patterns of the condition within Australia. Additionally, it is vital for various personalities to comprehend the diverse factors associated with its occurrence. Observably, this analysis assumes a general national situation prevalent in Australia. This means that the critical information reviewed appertains to all the relevant states within the country. These are the fundamental objectives of this discussion.
Prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Australia
It is important to examine the prevalence and epidemiological patterns of HIV/AIDS in Australia. This information is crucial in different ways. For instance, it might be applicable in implementing strategic preventive and management systems. The information might also be appropriate for the initiation of novel investigations on the issues that surround the condition (Godinho, 2005). Particularly, this is necessary within the entire country. According to public health data from varied agencies, the disease is most prevalent amongst the youth. Apart from this, other investigations potentiate that the disease condition is also prevalent amongst the adult population. Gerontology indicates that elderly persons are also potential carriers of the disease.
There are notable disparities in the level of infection within the different population segments. Some of these are eminent within different sexes, races, occupations, and other social determinants (Shumate & Dewitt, 2008). Sociological dynamics are critical in the development of the disease pattern. There are other several important factors noted to play a significant role in the development and spread of the health condition. Heterosexual behaviors are widely associated with the incidence of HIV/AIDS. Indicatively, homosexuality is identifiable as one of the factors that increase the level of susceptibility to the acquisition of this infection. This is observable within all population segments.
The federal government recognizes the importance of implementing various preventive and management programs (University of Pretoria, 2008). However, there are different preventive and treatment programs within different states. These patterns depend on the level of social advocacy and policy engagement within these states. The effects of globalization are eminent in the transformations in the prevalence patterns. Evidently, the number of cases of infection is presently reducing. This occurs at a considerably high and progressive speed (Gillett, 2003). Therefore, it is crucial to note that there is bound to be a reduced level of prevalence of the condition within the country. This pattern remains observable even within the global platform.
HIV/AIDS Distribution in Australian Population
Public health statistics indicate important facts about the distribution of HIV/AIDS in Australia. There are diverse segments of the population already affected by this condition (Underhill, Montgomery & Operario, 2009). Most health care agencies argue that individuals suffer from this condition. The federal health agencies recorded approximately 12 313 new diagnoses. This was notable between the periods of 1993 to 2006. The trends persistently undergo a revolution. Particularly, this is with the realization of the increased impacts of globalization and technological developments. These have potentially influential factors in the occurrence or incidence of the infection. There are notable disparities in the HIV/AIDS infection rates within different states (Costa & Duffy, 1991). Consequently, there are other differences in infection patterns and distribution across diverse groups. Presently, there exist clear information and facts indicating the major distribution patterns of HIV/AIDS.
The High-Risk Population Groups
Various studies identify high-risk populations. These population segments are highly susceptible to HIV infection. It is important to identify some of these groups. This is in order to be able to launch successful HIV prevention and management programs within these groups. The heterosexual groups are at a very high risk of acquiring the infection (Kalichman, 2005). It is evident that within the overall infected population, the heterosexual groups are more predominant. In fact, they constitute approximately of 18 percent of the infected population. As evident within most developed nations, there is a higher incidence of HIV/AIDS amongst homosexual personalities. It is important to note that homosexual groups have a high susceptibility to HIV infection.
The category of men practicing male-to-male sexual intercourse has high risk to this pandemic (Cheng, Kotler & Lee, 2011). Accordingly, this trend is observable within entire Australia. Apart from this, there are other low sexual practices amongst the lesbian groups. These increase their levels of vulnerability. Commercialized sex is a deviant practice that increases the level of vulnerability amongst different personalities. Indicatively, these include both the female and the male groups. Therefore, it is imperative to outline that the commercial sex workers provide a critical population segment that depicts high risk of infection (Lupton, 1999).
The Causal or Risk Factors of HIV/AIDS in Australia
Many factors lead to HIV infection in Australia. Personal behaviour and lifestyle factors include some of these causative elements (Mayer & Pizer, 2009). Irresponsible sexual behavior may make individuals acquire HIV/AIDS. Marriage infidelity is also associated with the high incidence rate of HIV/AIDS. Generally, an irresponsible sexual lifestyle increases the susceptibility to this infection. Other factors may cause the development of this disease (ILO, 2002). For instance, infants may acquire the virus directly from their parents. Particularly, mothers cause this kind of HIV transmission. The process occurs along with other physiological processes that exist between the mother and the child. Other modes of transmission or infection include the use and sharing of sharp objects. These objects may pierce infected persons. Consequently, the virus undergoes locomotion through these objects to cause other new infections. The process is commonly notable amongst drug abusers (Robinson, 2008). These include some of the prevalent causative factors of HIV/AIDS within Australia.
HIV/AIDS Prevention in Australia
HIV/AIDS remains incurable. Therefore, the most appropriate methodology is the application the of preventive approach. Both the federal and state authorities appreciate the urgent need to employ proper prevention strategies (Narain, 2004). Generally, advocacy and communication aimed at enhancing behaviour change is critical. This is because these prevention initiatives enhance the level of adoption of safe lifestyles by individuals. Other transformative HIV prevention approaches exist. These include use of sharp objects that are safe and uninfected. Individuals must not share these sharp objects amongst themselves. Adequate counselling and voluntary testing are appropriate for all the citizens. This ensures positive living and the adoption of healthy behaviours. There is need to practice safe sex (Lewis, 2003).
This involves the use of protective sexual aids. These may include the use of contraceptives such as condoms. Total abstinence is necessary. Particularly, this applies to the young generation of individuals that are not yet married. The federal and state health agencies within Australia encourage the use of voluntary counseling and testing, VCT. This strategy exists within the national health sector strategic plans. There are other state and national advocacy programs. These ensure effective communication of behaviour transformation messages within the entire population (Andrews & Curtis, 1998). As part of a strategic policy, the government has huge budgetary allocations for the prevention programs. Moreover, the various governments have stringent guidelines on the issues relating to heterosexual behaviours (McKee, Bertrand & Becker-Benton, 2004). This is because these lifestyles increase the likelihood of HIV infection amongst individuals.
Critique Using the Behavioural Theories
Human behaviours depend on various complex issues within the environment. The relevant prevention strategies must address these issues comprehensively. For instance, sociological and economic elements might have significant influences on a persons sexuality and sexual character. Consequently, these affect the level of HIV infection within the entire population. The current prevention strategies do not seem to address these gaps. There is need to employ more empirical research. This is vital for the development of effective prevention and management approaches.
References
Andrews, K. & Curtis, M. (1998). Changing Australia: Social, cultural and economic trends shaping the nation. Sydney: Federation Press.
Cheng, H., Kotler, P. & Lee, N. (2011). Social marketing for public health: Global trends and success stories. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett.
Costa, M. & Duffy, M. (1991). Labor, prosperity and the nineties: Beyond the bonsai economy. Sydney: Federation Press.
Falola, T. & Heaton, M. (2007). HIV/AIDS, illness, and African well-being. Rochester, NY: Univ. of Rochester Press.
Gillett, J. (2003), Media activism and Internet use by people with HIV/AIDS. Sociology of Health & Illness, 25 (6), 608624.
Godinho, J. (2005). HIV/AIDS in the Western Balkans: Priorities for early prevention in a high-risk environment. Washington, DC: World Bank.
ILO, (International Labor Organization) (2002). ILO programme on HIV/AIDS and the world of work : Implementing the ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work : an education and training manual. Geneva: ILO.
Johnson, N. (2010). The mouth in HIV/AIDS: markers of disease status and management challenges for the dental profession. Australian Dental Journal, 55 (1), 85102.
Kalichman, S. C. (2005). Positive prevention: Reducing HIV transmission among people living with HIV/AIDS. New York: Springer.
Lewis, M. J. (2003). The peoples health. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Lupton, D. (1999). Archetypes of Infection: People with HIV/AIDS in the Australian Press in the Mid 1990s. Sociology of Health & Illness, 21 (1), 3753.
Mayer, K. H. & Pizer, H. (2009). HIV prevention: A comprehensive approach. London: Elsevier/Academic Press.
McKee, N., Bertrand, J. & Becker-Benton, A. (2004). Strategic communication in HIV/AIDS epidemic. New Delhi: SAGE.
Narain, J. P. (2004). AIDS in Asia. New Delhi: World Health Organization.
Robinson, S. (2008). Homophobia: An Australian history. Annandale, NSW: Federation Press.
Shumate, M. & Dewitt, L. (2008). The North/South Divide in NGO Hyperlink Networks. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13 (2), 405428.
Underhill, K., Montgomery, P. & Operario, D. (2009), Cochrane review: Abstinence-plus programs for HIV infection prevention in high-income countries. Evid.-Based Child Health, 4 (2), 400815.
University of Pretoria (2008). Compendium of key documents relating to human rights and HIV in Eastern and Southern Africa. Pretoria: Pretoria University Law Press.
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