HIV/aids Flashcards
Sharing infected needles
• HIV can be transmitted through sharing drug needles and syringes contaminated with infected blood
• Sharing of needles (for example, for tattoos, piercings, and body art) can also lead to infection as someone with HIV who shares a needle also shares the virus
Unprotected sex
HIV can be spread through any type of unprotected sex if one of the partners has the virus. This is a bigger problem in developing countries where people don’t have easy access contraception.
During pregnancy
• If a mother is HIV positive, their baby is at risk of getting the HIV virus in the womb or during birth
Breast feeding
• Babies drinking the breast milk of an infected mother means the virus can be transmitted through the breast milk
Blood transfusions
• HIV/aids can be caused by infected blood given in a blood transfusion
• Especially in poorer countries where the screening process is not as effective.
Lack of education
• Some people –particularly in developing countries are not as educated about how
the disease is transmitted
• Therefore do not know the measures to take to avoid it.
Death rate increases
The death rate will increase and life expectancy decreases (e.g. Botswana, high HIV rates,
low life expectancy)
Economy suffers
AIDS is a debilitating disease which means that eventually those infected will not be able to work. This lowers productivity and hampers development of a country.
Food production declines
Less food will be produced as less people are able to work the land
Children grow up without parents
In areas where AIDS is endemic e.g. Uganda, children may be left without parents causing
them upset and emotional distress
Young carers
The young often become carers, therefore missing out on education
Decline in revenue from tourism
There may be a loss of tourist revenue if there are known to be specific problems with
disease in the area
Needle exchanges/drug therapy
• Needle exchanges ensure dirty needles are disposed of and drug therapy attempts to get people to stop drugs lowering instances of HIV
Blood screening/disposable needles
• Strict Blood screening takes place before use in transfusions
• Disposable syringes are used in hospitals in order to ensure HIV can’t be passed by reusing needles
Free condoms
• The distribution of free condoms in both developed and developing countries
has encouraged many people to practice safe sex which lowers instances of
TV and radio advertising
• TV and Radio advertising has been used to educate people of the causes and effects of HIV
• Particularly effective in developing countries where literacy rates are low
World bank/United Nations funding
• Agencies such as the World Bank have made funding available to Developing
Countries to tackle the disease
• They have also made money available to develop a vaccine
Health education programs
• Health Education programmes in schools or places of employment to pass on key messages to limit the spread of the disease
