Saskatchewan HIV Epidemic Characteristics

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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 …show more content…

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.

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