HIV/AIDS in Women HCS/455 HIV/AIDS in Women HIV and AIDS medically known as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are spreading within the United States among women and young girls at an astounding rate. It is imperative that women and girls comprehend the issues, data, and trends associated with living with these diagnoses. December 2010, one in four individuals living with a medical diagnosis of the HIV infection within the United States was women (CDC, 2013).
The percentage of HIV cases in 1985 was at 8%, and rose to 25% by the end of 2010 (CDC, 2013) HIV/AIDS diagnosis in women represent over half of all adults living in the United States with one of these medical conditions (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2007). Transmission of HIV/AIDS in Women The epidemic and rate of transmission of HIV/AIDS is continually growing within the United States and the impact it has on women is profound. The main source of transmission of HIV/AIDS in women is through heterosexual intercourse.
According to the statistics from the Kaiser Family Foundation HIV/AIDS transmission has increased to 31% in 2005 from 3% in 1985 (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2007). Women between the ages of 13 to 19 are 50% more likely to acquire the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS. The increased number of young women diagnosed with HIV has resulted in more women with the diagnosis of AIDS between the ages of 24 and 44. This means most women received her HIV diagnosis at a very young age (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2007).
African American women with HIV/AIDS The numbers have increased at a very high rate in African American women diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. The diagnosis of HIV/AIDS elevated in women of African American decent dwelling in the United States (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2007). However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated the year ending in 2010, that women of color diagnosed with HIV/AIDS decreased (CDC, 2013). There was a time that HIV infection was one of the prominent causes of demise among African American omen between the ages of 25 to 34 and third with African American woman aged 34 to 44 residing in the United States. . The African American women diagnosed in 2005 were 20 times more than White women (Rose, Sharpe, Raleigh, Reid, Foley, and Cleveland, 2008). The health care industry is attempting to obtain a solution to the increased incidents of HIV/AIDS in women of color as well as the lack of medical care. Policy Recommendations by the CDC to revamp guidelines associated with HIV testing to promote this as a product of routine health care prevention (CDC, 2013).
The CDC recommends that every woman receive routine HIV screenings no matter the age, and every pregnant woman within her third trimester (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2007). Signing the Affordable Care Act by President Obama affords HIV/AIDS patients to obtain early treatment and preventative care. Another positive attribute of the Affordable Care Act is that health insurance companies cannot deny care to patients for any pre-existing condition, so women will obtain treatment even though the condition is pre-existing (Sharp, Khaylis, Kamen, Lee & Gore-Felton, 2010). Conclusion
The women and young girls who live with HIV and AIDS (AIDS) spread at an astounding rate within the United States. It is imperative that women and girls understood the issues, data, and trends associated with living with those diagnoses. By December 2010, one in four individuals was living with a medical diagnosis of the HIV within the United States was women (CDC, 2013). The percentage of HIV cases in 1985 was at 8%, and rose to 25% by the end of 2010 (CDC, 2013) HIV/AIDS diagnosis in women represented over half of all adults living in the United States with one of these medical conditions (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2007).
References
CDC. (2013). Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Among Women http://www. cdc. gov/hiv/topics/women/
Kaiser Family Foundation. (2007). Women and HIV/AIDS in the United States. Retrieved from http://www. kaiseredu. org/Tutorials-and-Presentations/Women-and-HIV-in-the-US. aspx Rose, M. , Sharpe, T. , Raliegh, K. , Reid, L. , Foley, M. , & Cleveland, J. (2008).
An HIV/AIDS crisis among African American women: a summary for prevention and care in the 21st century.
Journal of Women’s Health (15409996), 17(3), 321-324. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Sharp, S. , Khaylis, A. , Kamen, C. , Lee, S. , ; Gore-Felton, C. (2010).
A Review of Psychosocial Factors that Facilitate HIV Infection among Women Living in Canada ; the United States: Implications for Public Health Policy. Women’s Health & Urban Life, 9(2), 63-79. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.