Lesson 8 (HIV/AIDS)

Question 1

What percentage of people in sub-Saharan Africa are infected by HIV/AIDS?

Answer 1

> 70%

Question 2

Is the number of people living with HIV/AIDs increasing or decreasing?

Answer 2

Number of people living with HIV is rising because treatment prolongs life.

Question 3

Do middle income countries have access to treatment?

Answer 3

Minimal visibility of treatment in Low and Middle Income countries

Question 4

What are the trends regarding the HIV/AID’s epidemic?

Answer 4

AIDS related deaths are decreasing and people are living longer with HIV due to improved treatment and access to treatment/care.

Globally: Nearly 50% of people with HIV do not know they have it. Most people living with or at risk for HIV do NOT have access to HIV prevention, treatment and care.

Not all regions and populations are affected in the same way, Sub-Saharan Africa has an estimated 1.2 million new infections per year (high). Young people account for a significant and rapidly growing percentage of the population and are reaching the age of highest risk for sexual transmission.

Question 5

How can the burden of HIV/AID’s be reduced?

Answer 5

Tailor the response and interventions to local environments/circumstances and prevalent risk factors.

Question 6

How many and what are the modes of transmission for HIV/AID’s?

Answer 6

4
Transmission via unprotected sex with an HIV+ person
Sharing un-sterilised injections and needles
Mother-to-child transmission
Blood-borne

Question 7

Who are the high-risk groups for transmission of HIV/AIDS via unprotected sex with an HIV+ person?

Answer 7

• Male to male sex (homosexual men).
• Women and men (heterosexual relationships).
• Sex workers

Question 8

Who are the high-risk groups for the transmission of HIV/AIDS via sharing un-sterilised injections and needles?

Answer 8

• Injecting drug users

* Those receiving injections with un-sterilised needles (generally found in low-resource settings).

Question 9

Who are the high-risk groups for the transmission of HIV/AIDS via mother-child?

Answer 9

•Infants born to / breast fed by untreated HIV+ mothers.

Question 10

Who are the high-risk groups for the transmission of HIV/AIDS via blood-borne avenues?

Answer 10

•Anyone receiving un-screened blood products, organs (usually found in countries with inadequate screening)

Question 11

As of 2016 data, what is the dominant mode of transmission at a global level?

Answer 11

Heterosexual Transmission

Question 12

What was seen from the 2016 data regarding the NEW infections of HIV/AIDS?

Answer 12

~95% in low & middle income countries.

From new infections in people 15 y.o & older:
~39% aged 15-24.
Majority female
Most live in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Infections among 15-24 y.o women (young) were 44% HIGHER than men their age.

Question 13

Define Feminisation:

Answer 13

“The observation that increasing proportions of new infections are among women, primarily due to heterosexual transmission of the infection.”

Question 14

What factor is associated with 3x increase of being infected with HIV/AIDS in terms of feminisation?

Answer 14

Violence

Question 15

What is meant by feminisation?

Not the definition

Answer 15

Proportion of women with HIV+ is steadily increasing

Is the leading cause of death for women of reproductive age

Women more likely to:
Face barriers in accessing HIV treatment, prevention & care.
Face barriers to education.
Experience poverty.

Question 16

What can be deduced from feminisation in terms of the determinants for increasing rates of HIV/AIDS?

Answer 16

HIV is both driven by gender inequality and entrenches gender inequality i.e. leaves women more vulnerable to its impact.

Question 17

What are the social determinants that prevent someone from accessing treatment for HIV/AIDS?

Answer 17

1. Gender inequalities
2. Poverty and low social status
3. Social norms, stigma and discrimination
4. Problems with disclosure of HIV status

Question 18

How do gender inequalities impact someone from accessing treatment?

Answer 18

Rules governing sexual relationships, negotiating condom use; sexual abuse / violence.

Question 19

How does poverty and low social status impact someone from accessing treatment?

Answer 19

Limited access to education and reproductive health services.

Question 20

How do social norms, stigma and discrimination impact someone from accessing treatment?

Answer 20

Prevent access to prevention efforts and treatment.

Question 21

How do problems with disclosure of HIV status impact someone from accessing treatment?

Answer 21

Partner notification and confidentiality (These can prevent getting necessary prevention options, testing for HIV and treatment)

Question 22

Define economic security:

Answer 22

Economic security = the right to not live in abject poverty in a world of immense riches.

Question 23

What rights do women have in association to HIV/AIDs?

Answer 23

Women’s rights to safe sexuality and to autonomy in all decisions relating to sexuality is intimately related to economic independence

Not about prostitution but basic social and economic arrangement between the sexes which results from poverty affecting men and women & male control over women’s lives in a context of poverty.

Unless and until the scope of human rights is fully extended to economic security, women’s right to safe sexuality is not going to be achieve

Question 24

What are the 3 main ways HIV/AIDs can be prevented and controlled?

Answer 24

Safer sex, safer products, increase access to health care

Question 25

How does safer sex prevent/control HIV/AIDS?

Answer 25

Media campaigns and wider policy strategies: to reduce stigma and discrimination

Educational approaches reduce risks: teachers, peers, workplaces, mass media campaigns.

Condoms: promote use (social marketing campaigns), increase availability, reduce cost.

Question 26

How do safer products prevent/control HIV/AIDS?

Answer 26

Screen blood products for HIV.
Needle and syringe exchange programs for IV drug users
Protect against needle-stick injuries (health professionals)

Question 27

How does increasing access to healthcare prevent/control HIV/AIDS?

Answer 27

Voluntary testing & counselling: reduce risk of sexual transmission
Treatment, care and support for HIV+ people
Treatment of STIs & provision of family planning services
Antenatal screening -> prevent Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV

Question 28

What are the 3 major challenges for the future in terms of HIV/AIDS?

Answer 28

Global resources for prevention & care for HIV fall short of the needs.

For prevention to be truly successful -> combat stigma and discrimination.

Inequities in resources and access health care, make it essential to address the social determinants of health and human rights, especially among women, the poor, migrants and other marginalised groups.

Question 29

Does treatment replace prevention methods?

Answer 29

NO!!