The HIV/AIDS Epidemic Sample paper

The HIV/AIDS Epidemic

The public health sector entails policy making, their implementation as well as interventions based on research findings (Jansen, Oers, Kok&Vries, 2014, Pg. 2). HIV/AIDS is an illness that has created a lot of changes in the sector regarding various practices. The viral disease is unique in that it affects all populations regardless of lifestyles, age, gender, social background or any other divisions. The rate of its spreading is more than that of most other diseases. Again, there are so many means through which the infection is acquired. Transmission through sexual intercourse is the most common way of its spreading. This puts a large population at risk as sexual intercourse is a common practice among many cultures. In addition, the disease is dangerous in that people cannot easily tell that they are infected unless there are tested. Owing to the development of the disease, people who are not tested could only realize that they are infected after a long time. Before their realization, it is possible that they would have infected their sexual partners. It is unfortunate that healthy partners do not realize that their counterparts are infected until it is late. The high rate and chances of infection makes the disease to impact so much on public health.

Following its nature especially regarding transmission, development and treatment, HIV/AIDS has attained much attention in public health. However, as Jansen et al. observed, there are significant discontinuation in public health. The researchers pointed out gaps between policy formulation, collection of evidence, assessment of strategies and generally public accountability (2014, Pg. 8-9). The gaps make it hard to manage not only HIV/AIDS but also other infections. There is need to close the gaps, and such activities would include use of better ways of sharing knowledge to strengthen the connections between researchers, policy developers and public health care providers (Jansen et al., 2014, Pg. 13).

Reference

Jansen, M. W., Oers, H. A., Kok, G., &Vries, N. K. (2014). Disconnections in Public Health. Retrieved May 20, 2015 from http://www.health-policy-systems.com/content/pdf/1478-4505-8-37.pdf