THE IMPORTANCE OF HIV TESTING



WOMAN DOING HIV TEST



The importance of HIV testing in my opinion is that if you are infected with the virus the earlier it is noticed the better your prognosis will be. The problem with so many people with HIV is that they never got tested and thus when they discovered they were HIV+ they were into the later stages of the virus and were more likely to experience the complications associated with AIDS.

HIV testing allows those who are infected to have a chance to take control of their infection early on which changes their prognosis from a life threatening infection to a continuing disease that can be managed.

 http://www.hivtest.com/the-importance-of-hiv-testing.html

HIV testing shouldn’t really matter when it comes to you having sex. If you test negative you should still continue to use condoms as obviously you want to keep it that way. I personally assume that everyone is HIV positive and use a condom anyway. An HIV test is just a window of your status at one particular time and therefore you could have done anything to change that so I must still be on high alert.

So while HIV testing is important for knowing the status of your partner it’s even more important for helping to get early diagnoses for those who may be infected and a chance for them to start taking the life saving medication from the start. Do you think knowing your HIV status is a waste of time and effort?

PRISONS ARE A HIGH-RISK ENVIRONMENT FOR HIV TRANSMISSION.

SICK INMATE

HIV/AIDS epidemic plays a major challenge in prisons across the world. Popularity of HIV within prisons is often higher than in the general community, and prison are a high-risk environment for HIV transmission. The number of prisoners living with HIV varies between countries and America has the highest prison population in the world.

However, when it comes to implement this HIV epidemic, prisoners are often neglected and overlooked because prison conditions are often ideal breeding grounds for onward transmission of HIV infection. They are frequently overcrowded. They commonly operate in an atmosphere of violence and fear.tension abound, including sexual tension release from this tension and from the boredom of prison life, is often found in the consumption of drugs or in sex.

WHY IS THERE A HIGHER POPULATION IN PRISON?

Unavailability of condoms, which can prevent HIV infection if used correctly are often considered illegal within prisons. Rape also can cause tearing and bleeding, which can increase the risk of HIV transmission. Injecting drug use and imprisonment are closely linked; many injecting drug users pass through correctional system cause of drug-related offences.

Prevention programme that have been implemented to reduce HIV transmission are hardly available for inmates, and many prisoners with HIV are unable to access life-saving medication ( ARV`s) and conditions are far from being changed because they also hardly to receive the most basic health care as they fear that it will encourage illegal behavior. What can be improved in prisons in order for inmates to get the same treatment like any other people?

MALE CIRCUMCISION FOR HIV PREVENTION.

Nurses in progress for circumcision

Male circumcision refers to the removal ofthe foreskin of the male penis. It is normally done shortlyafter birth,during childhood or even adulthood.It is estimated that 30% of the male worls`s male population is circumcised. Thia accounts for approximately 670 million males. Male circumcision is a very old practice, traditionally undertaken as a mark of cultural identity or because of religious importance.

There is a compelling evidence that male circumcision reduce the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infectins in men by approximately 60%.Three randomised controlled trials have shown that male circumcision provided by well trained health professionals in properly equipped settings is safe. UNSAID recommendation emphasize that male circumcision should be considered as efficacious intervention for HIV prevention in countries and regions with heterosexual epidemic, high HIV and low male circumcision prevalence. http://www.who.int/hiv/topics/malecircumcision/en/index.html

HOW CAN MALE CIRCUMCISION PREVENT HIV-INFECTION?

According to a report " The foreskin`s inner mucosal surface is more susceptible to HIV because it has more immune cells that are vulnerable to HIV infections. The presence of the foreskin acts as a physical barrier, trapping HIV next to the surface of the penis for longer periods. In this mmoist environment, the HIV can survive longer. After circumcision the penile haft become less susceptible to viral infection. the question goes like is male circumcision that important in the sense that all men have to be circumcised?