The standard protocol when diagnosing a patient with HIV or AIDS involves contacting the patient’s previous sexual partners to notify them of their exposure to the disease. This allows the patient’s sexual partners the opportunity to be tested. How does this standard practice affect the gathering of incidence and prevalence rates for HIV/AIDS? Do you agree or disagree with the protocol and why? If changes were made to the protocol to assist in data gathering, what changes would you suggest and why?
Discussion: Standard Protocol when diagnosing a patient with HIV or AIDS
Introduction-
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a deadly and chronic disease caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and has spread worldwide. HIV Viruses destroy our body’s immune system, thereby destroying CD4 cells of the blood (T cells).
The main causes of HIV or AIDS are-
- By having Sex with an infected partner
- By using contaminated needles.
- By Blood Transfusions
- Breast Feeding by Infected Mothers
- Exposure to infected body fluids.
WHO (World Health Organization) has suggested the standard practice which affects the incidence and prevalence rates for HIV/AIDS as an indicator to check the severity of AIDS/HIV causing worldwide (Boyd et al,2019 p.3).
This standard practice (Testing of patient’s previous sexual partners) affects the gathering of incidence and prevalence rates for HIV/AIDS by-
1. Reduction of morbidity
2. Reduction in the Spreading of HIV/AIDS
3. Decrease in Chronic Inflammation.
4. Maintaining Healthy Functioning of healthy immune systems of the body.
5. Reduction in mortality to lead a healthy life.
I agree with the protocol because –
This Protocol will help in reducing the spread of the deadly disease thereby supporting the infected person to lead a healthy and normal life in those who are totally isolated from the society and increasing their confidence to live in a society (webmd.com,2021). The results of HIV/AIDS should be confidential thereby saving the infected person from status of the society (Semple et al, 2018, p.2042).
Changes were made to the protocol to assist in data gathering, the changes I would suggest are-
1. Proper Survey among Infected Patients and convincing them of positive approaches.
2. If needed., the amendment of Different Protocols should be done.
3. Proper Goals and Objectives of data gathering should be done.
I would suggest this because-
1. They will provide more private information about the infection.
2. Will Provide the information about the approx. number of infected cases.
3. Will guide the people’s health.
References-
Boyd, M. A., Boffito, M., Castagna, A., & Estrada, V. (2019). Rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy at HIV diagnosis: definition, process, knowledge gaps. HIV medicine, 20,3-11. Retrieved on https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/hiv.12708 [Retrieved From 05th December,2021]
Semple, S. J., Pines, H. A., Strathdee, S. A., Vera, A. H., Rangel, G., Magis-Rodriguez, C., & Patterson, T. L. (2018). Uptake of a partner notification model for HIV among men who have sex with men and transgender women in Tijuana, Mexico. AIDS and Behavior, 22(7), 2042-2055.
webmd.com,2021. HIV Testing. Retrieved on https://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/hiv-aids-screening [Retrieved From 05th December,2021]
