Nursing Research of Communicable Disease Essay Example
Nursing Research of Communicable Disease Essay Example
Write a paper (2,000-2,500 words) in which you apply the concepts of epidemiology and nursing research to a communicable disease. Refer to “Communicable Disease Chain,” “Chain of Infection,” and the CDC website for assistance when completing this assignment.
Communicable Disease Selection
Chickenpox
Tuberculosis
Influenza
Mononucleosis
Hepatitis B
HIV
Ebola
Measles
Polio
Influenza
Epidemiology Paper Requirements
Describe the chosen communicable disease, including causes, symptoms, mode of transmission, complications, treatment, and the demographic of interest (mortality, morbidity, incidence, and prevalence). Is this a reportable disease? If so, provide details about reporting time, whom to report to, etc.
Describe the social determinants of health and explain how those factors contribute to the development of this disease.
Discuss the epidemiologic triangle as it relates to the communicable disease you have selected. Include the host factors, agent factors (presence or absence), and environmental factors. Are there any special considerations or notifications for the community, schools, or general population?
Explain the role of the community health nurse (case finding, reporting, data collection, data analysis, and follow-up) and why demographic data are necessary to the health of the community.
Identify at least one national agency or organization that addresses the communicable disease chosen and describe how the organizations contribute to resolving or reducing the impact of disease.
Discuss a global implication of the disease. How is this addressed in other countries or cultures? Is this disease endemic to a particular area? Provide an example.
A minimum of three peer-reviewed or professional references is required.
Epidemiology Paper: HIV
Communicable diseases refer to the illnesses caused by bacteria and viruses that are spread through the air, insect bites, blood products, bodily fluids, and contaminated surfaces. Some examples of communicable diseases to include chickenpox, tuberculosis, influenza, mononucleosis, hepatitis B, HIV, Ebola, measles, and polio. An outbreak of any one of these communicable diseases presents a significant public health concern and may require reporting to government agencies as they are spread in normal activities through skin contact, contaminated droplets and fomites, insect bites, sexual intercourse, and food. Communicable diseases present a public health concern because they account for substantial mortality and morbidity, with devastating emotional and fiscal costs to societies, families and individuals. An awareness of the epidemiology of these communicable disease is important to ensure that the different stakeholders can play the crucial roles in avoiding their spread, applying stringent infection prevention precautions, and obtaining the best care outcomes (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2020). This essay discusses HIV as a communicable disease with a focus on its epidemiology within a community setting.
HIV description
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that targets and attacks the body’s immune system. If left untreated with the virus proliferating within the body, the HIV can develop and lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) as a unique medical condition. The current medical technologies are yet to develop an effective cure for HIV. This implies that once an individual is infected with the virus, he/she would have the virus for life. Although there is no effective cure for HIV, it can be controlled through treatment, healthy lifestyle and diet so that the infected person lives a long healthy life while protecting others from being infected with the virus (Cooper & Gosnell, 2019).
HIV is a reportable disease with the attending health care provider having the responsibility of reporting cases of the disease to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Once reported, the CDC and other health departments will try to locate the sexual contacts of the infection persons to ensure that they are not infected with the virus, and if they are infected then they should be treated appropriately (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021a).
Epidemiology statistics from 2020 reveals that approximately 37.7 million people are infected with HIV across the world. 47% of the infected persons are male gender while 53% are female gender. 1.7 million of the infected persons are children 14 years of age or younger, while 36 million are adults older than 14 years of age. There were about 1.5 million new HIV infections in 2020. 28.2 HIV infected persons have access to antiretroviral therapy, indicating that 73% of the infected persons are receiving treatment while 28% (9.5 million) are without treatment. Only 84% of infected persons know of their HIV status (HIV.gov, 2021a). Nursing Research of Communicable Disease Essay Example
In the USA, 1.2 million people are infected with HIV. 87% know that they are infected with HIV after being tested while 13% are unaware that they are infected. The USA reported 34,800 new HIV infection cases in 2019. The HIV infection rate in the USA is approximated at 12.6 per 100,000 people. 680,000 people died from AIDS related ailments across the world in 2020. HIV infection rate is highest among Blacks at 42.1%, Latino/Hispanics at 21.7% and multiple races at 18.4% (HIV.gov, 2021b).
Studies on the origins of HIV reveal that it was originally a virus infection for chimpanzees in Central Africa. Epidemiology and virology studies show that there is a chimpanzee version of the virus called simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). The studies theorize that the SIV mutated to HIV during the late 19th century when humans come into contact with infected human blood from hunting activities. Over time, HIV spread slowly across Central Africa and the rest of Africa before spreading to other continents across the world. In fact, the earliest reported cases of HIV in the USA were in the 1970s, showing that it took close to a century for the virus to spread to the USA (Hope, Richman & Stevenson, 2018).
HIV is caused by a virus that damages the immune system thereby interfering with the body’s ability to fight other diseases and infections. The virus is sexually transmitted and can also be spread through the placenta during pregnancy and contact with infected blood. Without medication, the virus would weaken the immune system over many years and turn into AIDS. There is no cure for HIV, but antiretroviral medication can be prescribed to slow the progression of the virus (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2020).
Individuals who are infected with HIV may exhibit symptoms within one month of infection. Some of the infected persons will exhibit flu-like symptoms within one month of being infection. Other symptoms that would be exhibited over time include night sweats, cough, weight loss, diarrhea, swollen lymph glands around the neck, painful mouth sores, sore neck, rash, joint pain, muscle aches, headache, and fever. These symptoms may be mild and difficult to notice as caused by HIV. Still, the viral load will increase exponentially without medication. In the later stages of the infection, the HIV becomes symptomatic and reveals chronic signs that include pneumonia, herpes zoster, thrush, weight loss, diarrhea, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue and fever. If left untreated, the HIV turns into AIDs within about ten years at which time the immune system would be severely damaged with the patient developing opportunistic cancers and opportunistic infections that may not develop in healthy individuals (Cooper & Gosnell, 2019).
Social determinants of health
HIV disproportionately burdens some population demographics thus indicating influence of social determinants of health. These social determinants act as infection enablers, and barriers to prevention and treatment. They are the environmental conditions in which people are born, live, play, age and work that affect quality of life, functioning and health outcomes and risks. They are the fundamental cause of health disparities, and reflect the economic, political and social contexts and social hierarchies that stratify the members of a population to demographic attributes such as occupation, education, ethnicity, race, gender, income and other factors. They affect the vulnerability of a demographic group and include disadvantages based on geographic location, economics, ethnicity, race and gender. In addition, the social determinants overlap to provide unique effects that influence sexual behavior and decision making. For instance, females in poor areas are likely to be disproportionately affected by HIV because they are poor, and are exposed to and subjected to domestic violence. In essence, these social determinates of health are overlapping, integrated and complex economic systems and social structures that include the societal and structural factors, health services, physical environment, and social environment. Within this understanding is the awareness that societal, cultural and structural factors are responsible for health inequities, thus influencing efforts to successfully navigate the HIV prevention and treatment process (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2020).
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It is important to understand the social determinants of health as they occur at the multilevel and are overlapping to influence individual sexual risk behaviors that increase the risk of contact with infectious or infected individuals. The behaviors do not occur in a vacuum. Rather, they occur with the context of sexual partnership that are located within a wider sexual network. Also, they influence the opportunities and patterns for interpersonal contact, social mixing and probability of onward transmission of the virus. Besides that, they occur within the context of wider social and structural factors. The social factors include social and economic conditions that influence health of communities and people such as stigma, social exclusion, housing, access to services, health services, food security, income and job security, employment, and education. The structural factors include policy, legal, economic, community, organizational, cultural, social and physical aspects of the environment that either facilitate or impede efforts to avoid HIV transmission (Ervin & Kulbok, 2018).
It is no coincidence that certain populations and demographic groups bear a disproportionate burden of HIV, such as minority sexual, ethnic and racial groups. The most influential social determinant is economics with poorer populations often being the HIV epicenter since although they have diverse demographic groups, they are characterized by greater medical mistrust, higher stigma, fewer health care providers of HIV care, lower taxation, and poorer health infrastructure. Governments are aware of the negative effects of these social determinants and are actively fund HIV prevention, surveillance, research and treatment programs with long-term dedicated financing to ensure financial and social protections of persons with HIV and those at risk of getting infected with the virus. Also, the funded programs counterbalance disparities in funding towards research activities that recognize the role of social factors in perpetuating the virus thus representing a paradigm shift towards matching public health policies with efforts to overcome pervasive HIV related inequities (Truglio-Londrigan & Lewenson, 2018).
Role of community health nurse
Community health nurses (CHS) play a significant role in preventing HIV transmission through functions such as prophylaxis and health education to eligible couples, high risk groups and youths. There is not vaccine or cure for the virus, and so CHS focus on prevention. CHS are especially useful in resource limited settings where they delivery HIV care and support programs. They focus on improving uptake of HIV services and treatment adherence in diverse settings. They perform multiple functions in HIV prevention and treatment programs, to include referring members of a community to HIV testing, linking infected persons to required care, accompanying community members to care appointments, making referrals for other medical services, and providing psychosocial support (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2020).
CHS perform case management, consultation and complex duties, under direction, to monitor and prevent HIV within the community, monitor and contribute surveillance data to identify emerging HIV public health concerns, educate community members regard HIV prevention practices and control measures, and investigate HIV infection rates and conduct research. Leveraging their professional competence, knowledge and skills, CHS provide specialized nursing expertise related to epidemiological trends, and the transmission and treatment of HIV within the community. These roles leverage working knowledge and independent judgment in case management related to epidemiology as regards applying current nursing techniques and treatment of a HIV public health outbreak, HIV management, risk factors, treatment requirements, and clinical knowledge (Rector, 2021).
There are six main roles that CHS engage in as regards HIV and the health of the community. Firstly, they coordinate public health programs, develop and maintain protocols, participate in community committees for HIV, develop and update procedures and policies related to HIV, and participate in health planning activities. Secondly, they enforce HIV codes in accordance with guidelines. Thirdly, they act as a resource and provide health information and consultation to schools, community agencies, health care providers, families and individuals regarding HIV even as they collaborate with other institutions in program planning, infection control management, integration and coordination to standardize and improve medical services. Fourthly, they conduct HIV epidemiological and other related studies, manage data related to HIV, and collect, compile and analyze statistics used to develop HIV epidemiological reports. Fifthly, they collect, analyze and report HIV epidemiological data, investigate reports of HIV and survey occurrence of HIV in individuals and groups as a reportable communicable disease. Finally, they monitor and provide case management services to persons diagnosed with HIV, and assess their health status while planning treatment regimens using established prevention control measures and medical protocols. Also, they maintain records related to the treatment plan and ensure that the proper medical regimen is followed and documented. Besides that, they order medications and tests, and monitor response to interventions, coordinate care with other health care providers, and communicate the details of the treatment plan with the patient/client (Mager & Conelius, 2019). Nursing Research of Communicable Disease Essay Example
National agency/organization
The CDC is a national government agency that addresses HIV as a public health concern through a range of activities. These activities include providing scientific information on what is known about the virus, testing, research, policy, planning and strategic communication, access to public resources, HIV funding and budget, HIV guidelines, and capacity building assistance. CDC efforts in HIV testing include access to kits for laboratory testing and self-testing and protocols for screening in clinical settings and testing on non-clinical settings. CDC efforts in HIV research focus on demonstration projects (such as THRIVE, COPUS and ECHPP projects), and intervention research. CDC efforts in HIV policy, planning and strategic communication focus on data for impact, funding in medical efforts, HIV cluster detection and response action, strategic priorities, and legal issues. CDC efforts in HIV program resources include program planning, guidance and evaluation, comprehensive prevention, and capacity building. CDC efforts in HIV guidelines include HIV surveillance, prevention of new infections, prevention and care of persons with HIV, and HIV testing. CDC efforts in capacity building assistance include effective interventions, technical assistance resources, and training resources (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021b). These efforts by CDC reveal a multimodal approach to understanding HIV as a communicable disease, understanding the public statistics, improving testing, prevention and treatment efforts, and improving capacity to address HIV related concerns.
Global implications of HIV
HIV has had social and structural impact on the global population. Death, disability and illness associated with HIV affect the global population in multiple ways and at multiple levels. Families experience incapacity of loved ones and death, and they must cope with the burden of caring for the sick and dying. Institutions such as hospitals, schools and businesses lose valuable personnel as productivity reduces. In addition, it threatens food security as food production and the ability of households to afford nutritious diets is reduced. There are declines in school enrolment as the high death rates among young adults undercut the payoffs to investment in education. Besides that, there are significant economic costs from addressing HIV as resources are diverted from investments critical to economic development and other important needs. Also, the demographic structure is affected as dependent populations increase among the elderly and children. Additionally, there remains the ongoing key concern that there is no cure for HIV (Hope, Richman & Stevenson, 2018).
It is clear that HIV not only affects the health of individuals, but also affects the communities and households as well as the economic growth and development of countries. Many of the countries hardest hit by the virus also suffer other serious problems such as food insecurity and infectious diseases. Despite these challenges related to HIV, there have been some successes. Surveillance, treatment and prevention efforts have significantly reduced the number of new infections. In addition, there has been improved scientific understanding of the virus and its prevention and treatment following research efforts, thus allowing for more targeted interventions, such as dramatic progress in keeping mothers alive and preventing mother-to-child transmission and ensuring that persons in resource-poor countries receive treatment (HIV.gov, 2021a).
It is important to note that despite the scaled up efforts and availability of a widening array of effective methods and tools to prevent and manage HIV, there has been unequal progress ending HIV related deaths, increasing access to treatment and reducing new infections. In fact, too many vulnerable populations and people are left behind. The unequal progress is cause by social inequality and exclusion, such as discrimination and stigma. Wealthy nations are aware of these concerns and have sought to address them. For instance, the USA through PEPFAR (U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) has contributed to global efforts to fight HIV by providing antiretroviral therapy to nearly 18.2 million people and HIV testing to nearly 50 million people around the world in 2020 (HIV.gov, 2021a).
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021a). HIV Surveillance. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/guidelines/reporting.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021a). HIV. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/default.html
Cooper, K., & Gosnell, K. (2019). Foundations and Adult Health Nursing (8th ed.). Elsevier, Inc.
Ervin, N. E., & Kulbok, P. A. (2018). Advanced Public and Community Health Nursing Practice: Population Assessment, Program Planning, and Evaluation (2nd ed.). Springer Publishing Company.
HIV.gov (2021a). Global Statistics. https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/global-statistics
HIV.gov (2021b). U.S. Statistics. https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics
Hope, T. J., Richman, D., & Stevenson, M. (2018). Encyclopedia of AIDS. Springer.
Mager, D. R., & Conelius, J. (Eds.) (2019). Population Health for Nurses: Improving Community Outcomes. Springer Publishing Company.
Rector, C. L. (2021). Community Health Nursing (10th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2020). Public Health Nursing: Population-Centered Health Care in the Community. Elsevier, Inc.
Truglio-Londrigan, M., & Lewenson, S. (Eds.) (2018). Public Health Nursing: Practicing Population-Based Care (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC.
