Configuration of Saskatchewan HIV Epidemic Characteristics: A Literature Review
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has increasingly become a problem that can no longer be ignored in Saskatchewan. The rates of HIV in the province have climbed to an alarming number. The Saskatoon health region found that in 2012 rates of Saskatchewan HIV positive tests soared three times past the national rates with statistics at 17.0 versus 5.9 per 100,000 people (as cited in Bird, Lemstra, Moraros, & Rogers, 2016, p. 153). These statistics are distressingly high making HIV a provincial health concern and defining this problem as an epidemic. Before ideas on battling the epidemic can be developed the cause of the high rates must be determined first. Aspects
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Health care workers are expected to be compassionate and helpful to the people diagnosed with this chronic virus, but instead patients are often faced with more discrimination. Meili et al. (2015) discovered that many physicians were denying patients access to necessary HIV treatment because of their substance use addiction. This is dangerous because by not attaining the proper care HIV positive individuals can end up with worse problems including progression to AIDS, transmitting the virus to others, and even death. People reported having unreliable support systems in their home life, so when they turn to health care providers they expect them show support considering they are professionals (Harvey et al., 2014; Meili et al., 2015), but instead they are met with prejudice. This can be so frustrating for individuals who only want to better themselves and seek the necessary care they require. Patients should be met with an open mind and a patient centred approach instead of the inequity they are currently facing.
Implication to My Practice
This literature review has expanded my knowledge on HIV in Saskatchewan and how health care providers can improve. Better care for patients with HIV means putting aside any negative views and bias someone may feel. This insight that I have gained will only make my nursing practice better as I now further understand what makes these groups vulnerable and the need for better approaches to these patients. As a future nurse who could possibly be working with HIV patients I will try to remember this research and recognize the importance of being non-judgemental with my patients and encourage others to do the same.
The first provision of the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) “Code of Ethics” states, “ The nurse, in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems.” The second provision states, “The nurse’s primary commitment is the patient, whether the patient is an individual, family, group, or community” (Fowler, 2010). As nurses we need to respect the autonomy and allow for the patient to express their choices and concerns. We also need to provide them with support by giving them knowledge and understanding so they
Canadian Aboriginal Aids Network, Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS, and Health Canada. Hands Across the World: An Indigenous Peoples Forum. Final Report, July 17, 1999 AIDS Impact Conference. Ottawa: Blue Moon Consulting.Ê 1999.
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and its deriving acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are devastating conditions that currently affect approximately 35.3 million individuals globally (WHO, 2012). In the Canadian context, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS ascended to 71,300 cases in 2011, with 8.9% of the affected individuals being aboriginal peoples (PHAC, 2011). This number not only indicates an overrepresentation of the aboriginal population among the totality of HIV/AIDS cases in the country, but it also illustrates an elevated incidence of 17.3% from the numbers reported in 2008 (PHAC, 2011). The aforementioned statistics were here exposed with the intent of recognizing the incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS, as alarming public health issues superimposed on the already vulnerable segment of the Canadian population that is the aboriginal community. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to gradually examine the multiple determinants and factors contributing to such problem as well as some of the possible actions that can ameliorate it.
Compounding these exceptionally troubling numbers is a significant population with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). Again estimates vary, but the United Nations projects the national prevalence rate to be 4.5 percent of the population. Other estimates place the rate as high as 12 percent in the urban population and 5 percent in rural regions. As a small “win”, the infection rate for HIV/AIDS has recently shifted downward due to significant UNAIDS/WHO efforts (Haiti – Health).
The study conducted by MacNeil & Pauly (2011) focused on the perspective of the people who use the needle exchange programs in Canada. To receive the data from the injecting drug users, the researchers first recruited most of their participants from four needle exchange sites. There were a total of 33 people who participated (23 men and 10 women) in this study. The average age of the participants was 40.3 years of age, for men, the average was 43, whereas for women it was 34 years old. The participants were either homeless or were on government assistance programs. Out of the 33 participants, six of them reported being HIV positive (18%) and 16 reported being diagnosed wi...
...ir personal encounters with Aboriginal classmates that they might have had in high school. Life experiences, parental upbringing, ethnic roots, social status and education all shape nursing practices. Nurses and other health care professionals are trained in institutions that fail to recognise the socio-political injustices that occur in health care settings. In addition to this, their experiences in their work and in their personal lives and communities, they already have opinions about certain groups of people. “Cultural safety would encourage nurses to question popular notions of culture and cultural differences, to be more aware of the dominant social assumptions that misrepresent certain people and groups, and to reflect critically on the wider social discourses that inevitably influence nurses’ interpretive perspectives and practices” (Browne, 2009, p. 21).
The spread of aids threatens our population daily. Lives lost to it number over 12 million, including 2 mil...
Zencovich, M., K. Kennedy, D. W. MacPherson, and B. D. Gushulak. 2006. “Immigration medical screening and HIV infection in Canada.” International Journal of STD & AIDS 17:813.
HIV has many psychological aspects which can impact on the way a patient behaves. Stigma and non-adherence are just two aspects associated with the disease. Many individuals have negative attitudes towards people with HIV and this can result in HIV patients suffering from discrimination. Bad quality healthcare and patients being fearful of seeking treatment are just two of the outcomes of stigma (Mandal, 2013). It has been known for healthcare professionals to withhold treatment, breach confidentiality and isolate HIV patients when not necessary (Engenderhealth, 2004a). Homosexual men have always been at the forefront of HIV stigma and in 1985 Dougal et al conducted a study about homophobia on 128 nurses and physicians. The results showed that ten per cent felt that homosexual men were responsibl...
The healthcare system can be difficult for clients to navigate and they are often unsure how to access information which puts them at the mercy of others and can lead to feelings of helplessness (Erlen, 2006). Nurses can provide resources to educate patients when they becomes dependent on a health care provider and no longer feel in control of their own body which can lead to fear, hopelessness, helplessness and loss of control (Cousley et al., 2014). The change in roles individuals face can further increase their stress and feelings of powerlessness (Scanlon & Lee, 2006). According to the CNA code of ethics, nurses are responsible for protecting patients from objective risks that place them in an increased level of vulnerability (Carel, 2009). They can do this by providing the resources necessary for patients to educate themselves and be better able to cope with the health challenges they
Maguire, C., McNally, C., Britton, P., Werth, J., & Borges, N. (2008). Challenges of Work: Voices of Persons with HIV Disease. The Counseling Psychologist, 42-49.
The Professional Standards of The College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia,(CRNBC) include the following four key areas: Professional responsibility and accountability, Knowledge-Based Practice,Client-Focused Provision of Service and Ethical Practice(p,2). Each of these standards are outlined well within the CRNBC professional standards, and need to be followed by each registered nurse. If these standards of care are not being met then one must evaluate their own practice or it could need to be reported to CRNBC. This paper will explore three standards of practice and their importance, including: Challenges, Professionalism and Knowledge Based-Practice. These reflect significantly on registered nurses (RN) in Canada, and how they play their role as nurses professionally.
The first goal of intervention is for Precious to gain access to health care, and health care related resources so that she can mange HIV symptoms. Along with access to health care, Precious also seeks to gain access to emotional and mental health supportive resources to cope with her chronic illness. As a means of intervention, I will assist Precious by providing health care resources. I will aid in filling out application for Medicaid and follow up with patient to assist if necessary when her primary care physician is established. To further Precious’ access to care, I will provide her with resources for Powerful Youth, a program that provides health and physiological services for HIV positive young people. In addition to programs that provide HIV drug therapy and medical care, Powerful Youth incorporates HIV support group meeting. According to research in regards to the Powerful Youth, the program is used in conjunction with primary care settings and has been shown to reduce stress, expand social support, and improve emotional health, reduces HIV related risks, enhances medical adherence, and provide coping strategies (Solórzano & Glassgold, 2010). The Powerful Youth program is a culturally relevant because the program exists within the client’s own culture. The program is located in Precious’ current neighborhood, and it designed to reach people within her ethnic and age demographic. In
From the moment scientists identified HIV and AIDS, social responses of fear, denial, stigma and discrimination have accompanied the epidemic. Discrimination has spread rapidly, fuelling anxiety and prejudice against the groups most affected, as well as those living with HIV or AIDS. It goes without saying that HIV and AIDS are as much about social phenomena as they are about biological and medical concerns. Across the world the global epidemic of HIV/AIDS has shown itself capable of triggering responses of compassion, solidarity and support, bringing out the best in people, their families and communities. But the disease is also associated with stigma, repression and discrimination, as individuals affected (or believed to be affected) by HIV have been rejected by their families, their loved ones and their communities. This rejection holds as true in the rich countries of the north as it does in the poorer countries of the south.
The emergence of HIV/AIDS is viewed globally as one of the most serious health and developmental challenges our society faces today. Being a lentivirus, HIV slowly replicates over time, attacking and wearing down the human immune system subsequently leading to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) at which point the affected individual is exposed to life threatening illnesses and eventual death. Despite the fact that a few instances of this disease have been accounted for in all parts of the world, a high rate of the aforementioned living with HIV are situated in either low or medium wage procuring nations. The Sub-Saharan region Africa is recognized as the geographic region most afflicted by the pandemic. In previous years, people living with HIV or at risk of getting infected did not have enough access to prevention, care and treatment neither were they properly sensitized about the disease. These days, awareness and accessibility to all the mentioned (preventive methods, care etc.) has risen dramatically due to several global responses to the epidemic. An estimated half of newly infected people are among those under age 25(The Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic). It hits hard as it has no visible symptoms and can go a long time without being diagnosed until one is tested or before it is too late to manage.