Prevention and Treatment of HIV among Youths in Australia - Case Study Example

Institution: HIV Prevention amongst the youth in the context of Australia Name: Date: Instructor: Author Guidelines This review paper is generally based on “The Australian Journal for prevention and treatment of HIV among youths” as guidelines. The structure of the essay involves; Title, Key words, Abstract, Introduction, Discussion, Conclusion, Recommendations and References. http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/guidelines HIV Prevention amongst the youth in the context of Australia Key words: Sexual Health, HIV/AIDS prevention, youth, sexual health education, HIV statistics, barriers. Abstract Objective: The major goal of the essay involves the discussion of various literature in relation to the health issue of HIV/AIDS among the youth in the context of Australia. This will be important in understanding the statistics of HIV/AIDS among the youth, approaches towards the prevention of HIV/AIDS and barriers encountered and how to deal with the barriers in the prevention of HIV/AIDS among the youth in Australia. Setting: The setting of the literature review involves primary approach in the HIV prevention among the youth in the context of sexual education in schools and colleges among the youth. Subjects: The literature review emphasizes on HIV prevention amongst adolescents in the context of Australia. Hence the main subjects in this case involve the adolescents in the context of Australia. In addition the literature review will utilize various researches that have been conducted in relation to adolescents HIV/AIDS prevention globally. Primary argument: The youth are considered as individuals who engage in the process of discovering their sexuality. The young people in this stage experiment in terms of sexual activities and therefore mostly engage in risky sexual behavior that puts them at risk of STIs and HIV/AIDS. Sexual behavior is therefore considered as the greatest contributing factor among the youth that leads to the infections of HIV/AIDs. In addition adolescents engage in drug and substance abuse, engaging in unprotected sex at an early age with different multiple partners. Lack of information in relation to sexuality and HIV has been considered as an instigating factor to the high prevalence HIV infection rates among the adolescents in Australia (Pyett, 1991). Furthermore the failure of discussing sexuality and sexual issues such as HIV/AIDS freely with adolescents in the context of homes and schools have worsened the situation leading to adolescent seeking for sexual information from peers and the social media. In most cases the adolescents obtain inaccurate information from peers and social media. The increase rates in HIV/AIDS among adolescent is a global issue that needs to be addressed. In Australia various approaches such as behavior change communication, sexual health education on HIV/AIDS are engaged in the prevention measures against HIV/AIDS among the youth. Conclusion: The prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS among the youth has been considered as a global issue due to the escalating prevalence rates of infection. The youth as a phase in life involves a stage in an individual life whereby there is a lot of crisis in relation to identity and sexuality issues. This is a stage in life whereby most young people engage in risky sexual behaviors that increases the susceptibility to infections of STIs and HIV. There is need for effective measures that will assist in the preventive measures against HIV infection among the youth in the society and in the context of Australia. Introduction The Human Immomunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is a pandemic that is fast spreading across the world with more than 14,000 being infected every day. The youth are the most affected in this case with statistics indicating an increase of the prevalence rate. About 46% of all infections are among the youth in Australia. In this context schools and colleges play an important role of educating the youth about HIV/AIDS and therefore preventing further increase in the prevalence rate. The youth in this case comprises the young adults and the young adults between the ages of 12-35. This age is considered as being sexually active and therefore vulnerable to engage in risky sexual activities that might lead to HIV infections. A research conducted to ascertain the most affected group in the society in terms of HIV prevalence rates indicated the fact that the youth exhibited a higher prevalence rate (UNAIDS, 2002). A total of 110 individuals from various groups in the society; the young people and the adults. In the survey it was evident that the youth formed above 60% of all infections of HIV/AIDS. This was attributed to the fact that the youth were considered as being sexual active and with multiple partners that made them to be vulnerable to the infections. In addition, the youth engage in risky sexual behavior that engaged unsafe sex without the use of protection leading to an increased prevalence rate. Awareness programs should be initiated in schools that highlight the importance of abstinence in the prevention of HIV/AIDS (Lindsay et.al., 1999). The HIV/AIDS amongst the youth is a serious issue that needs to be addressed in order to curb the high rates of high infection rates. The youth are considered as the most sexually active segment of the population. As a sexually transmitted disease, HIV should be taught in the context of schools with the target population being the youth. A survey conducted indicated over 75% of all infections occur among the youth as a result of unprotected sex. Schools and colleges provide a proper setting for education of both sexes in terms of HIV/AIDS and its prevention among the youth. Varied challenges have been encountered in the efforts of prevention of HIV/AIDS among adolescents. Hence this calls for effective intervention approaches that will effectively deal with HIV/AIDS among the youth as a sexual health issue. The interventions should therefore focus on risk factors while at the same time targeting the behaviors among the youth that needs to change. The next section will explore the strategies that can be employed in the efforts of prevention HIV/AIDS amongst youth in the context of Australia (Skinner & Hickey 2003). Discussion Promotion of Behavior Change The youth involves the adolescents and young adults between the ages of 12-35. Within this age bracket the youth are considered as being sexually active and therefore prone to engage in various risky behavior that make them vulnerable of HIV transmission. The youth in most cases engage in unprotected sex with multiple partners in order to satisfy their sexual needs and desires (Schenker & Nyirenda 2003). The risky behavior of the youth is considered as the most contributing factor to HIV infections and transmissions. In terms of gender a research conducted in Australia indicated that women are regarded as most vulnerable as compared to men. This is due to the fact that most women engage in sexual activities at a early age and use contraception mainly to prevent pregnancy as opposed to prevention against sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS. A study was carried out in Australia in a bid to explore communication on concerns of sexuality among the youth. The study found out that with a high rate of communication process between the adults and the adolescents safe sexual practices were embraced by the adolescents that involved the use of condom as a safe sex approach. This further means that prevention of HIV among adolescents was attained (Hart, 1996). According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2001) young people engage in such behavior such as drugs and crime. HIV/AIDS is closely linked to high prevalence rates of infections among the youth. The youth mainly inject drugs into their systems that creates a main concern of HIV infections among the youth (UNODC, 2001). A study conducted by WHO and UNFPA in relation to condom use among the youth who are considered as sexually active postulated the fact that the youth rarely engaged in the use of condom particularly during their initial sexual encounter. The study was consulted in schools with adolescents between the ages of 13-17 years of age. A total of 341 students were sampled for this study. About 46% of the students indicated that their first sexual encountered was experienced at the age of 13 years. Of the sampled students only 16% of the students used a condom during their initial sexual encounter. When asked why they decided to use a condom, 57% of the students indicated that they used a condom so as to engage in the prevention of unwanted pregnancies. Hence, this indicated the fact that adolescents rarely engage in sexual intercourse with a use of a condom while those who choose to use a condom do so with the aim of prevention of early pregnancies rather than sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Health Education Programs Sexual health education is therefore important as it is considered as the most effective approach in the reduction of HIV prevalence in the society. Among the adolescents sexual education should be incorporated in the school curriculum within the normal schooling. The youth as a phase in life is considered as the onset of sexual lives among individuals. Hence sexual education through awareness and guidance will be essential in the prevention of HIV infections among the adolescents and the youth. In such countries that have experienced a high HIV prevalence rates various programmes should be incorporated in the sexual health education so as to create awareness (Skinner & Hickey 2003). For instance sexual health education should include the encouragement of sexual active individuals to engage in abstinence or the use of condom during sexual intercourse so as to protect them from the risk of being infected by HIV or any other sexual transmitted infections. Sexual health should include various participants such as the youth, parents, teachers and health workers. In addition, sexual health education plays an important role due to the fact that it assists in the promotion of health and well being of a particular population while at the same time promoting the sexual rights of an individual (Lindsay et.al., 1999). Therefore health education should be focused on the importance of abstinence among youth, the modes of transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS. A study carried out by Pyett (1991) in a bid to evaluate HIV/AIDS awareness in Australia among high school teenage girls. The study found out that senior high school girls possessed awareness of HIV/AIDS in relation to transmission and prevention modes. In addition there was great reluctance among the senior girls to use a condom while engaging in sexual activity. However, the junior girls in high school possessed a limited knowledge in terms of HIV/AIDS treatment and determination of HIV infection. HIV/AIDS education programs in schools and colleges designed for the youth is not a responsibility of the schools and colleges alone but various stakeholders should be incorporated such as parents, the community, leaders, school administration, health organizations teachers and the youth themselves for the prevention strategy of HIV/AIDS to be a success in its implementation among the youth (Pyett, 1991). In many countries such as Australia the issue of incorporation of sex education with the school curriculum has received a lot of controversies. The major issue involves who should teach the adolescents in schools about sex and their sexuality issues. A study conducted on the relevance of sexual education in schools indicated the fact most youth indicated that the sex education was not effective in dealing with sexuality issues and HIV/AIDS. This was attributed to the fact that sexual education was mainly emphasized on opposite sex relations and sexual activities as opposed to addressing effectively the issue of sex and sexuality among adolescents (WHO, 2006). Conclusion There is a strong relationship between sexual health and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV. Hence HIV is considered as a sexual health issue that occurs as a result of various factors such as irresponsible sexual behavior, differences in terms of gender, poverty among other factors. The adolescent or the youth are regarded as the most vulnerable to HIV infections as a result of their sexual behavior as due to the fact that they are sexually active during this stage. HIV is a global pandemic due to the consequences involved in the health of the individual affected by the pandemic. In order to reduce the prevalence rates of HIV infections especially among the adolescents it is important to discuss the issues of sexuality freely and create awareness of various sexual behaviors that pose as a risk of infection of HIV. Sexual health education is important in creating awareness and encouraging individuals to live a positive sexual life while at the same time enjoying various pleasurable experiences. In this case sexual health education should be conducted by both parents and teachers who play an important role in the lives of adolescents. Sexual health education is also important in addressing such issues such as risky behavior and the need for behavioral change among the adolescents. The communication process between the parents and the adolescents should be open so as to open up a forum for discussion of issues in relation to sexuality, safe sex and sexual health that would be essential in reduction of HIV prevalence rates among the adolescents. Recommendations Sexual health education should be incorporated in the school curriculum that involves the youth as the target group. In schools and colleges the youth should be encouraged to actively participate in sexual health programs. Various stakeholders such as parents, nurses and teachers play an important role in promoting behavior change among the young people with the aim of ensuring that they engage in accountable sexual behavior. It is further recommended that young people should engage in an open communication process in relation to their sexuality issues with their parents and teachers so as to obtain an accurate form of information as opposed to obtaining inaccurate information from their peers and the social media. Parents play a key role in behavior change amongst the youth. Hence parents should engage in the process of monitoring the use of social media tools and the internet among the youth as they act as a source of inaccurate information obtained by the adolescents in regards to sexuality and sexual health issues. The youth should further be encouraged to abstain from premarital sexual intercourse as a key approach to the prevention of infection of HIV/AIDS. While awareness should be created with the youth supplied with accurate information abstinence campaigns should be popularized amongst the young people. Health education programs should incorporate various stakeholders for the prevention approach of HIV/AIDs to be a success. These stakeholders involves, the youth themselves, parents, teachers, youth agencies, the community and other leaders. List of References WHO and UNFPA, Position Statement on Condoms and HIV Prevention (Geneva, Switzerland: WHO,2004), accessed November 1, 2014 http://www.unfpa.org/upload/lib_pub_file/343_filename_Condom_statement.pdf Hart G, Flowers P. 1996, Recent developments in the sociology of HIV risk behavior. Risk, decision and policy, 1: 153-165. Retrieved on November 2, 2014 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2636460/ Lindsay, J. Smith, M.A. and Rosenthal, D 1999, Conflicting Advice? Australian Adolescents’ Use of Condoms or the Pill, Family Planning Perspectives Vol. 31: 4. https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3119099.html Skinner, R.S and Hickey, M 2003 Current Priorities for adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Australia, Med J Aust 2003; 179 (3): 158-161. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2003/179/3/current-priorities-adolescent-sexual-and-reproductive-health-australia Pyett, P 1991, Social and Behavioral Aspects of the Prevention of HIV/AIDS in Australia: A Critical review of Literature, Centre for Health Program Evaluation. http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/centres/che/pubs/wp13.pdf World Health Organization (WHO) 2006, Defining Sexual Health, Report on technical consultation on sexual health. http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/sexual_health/defining_sexual_health.pdf Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education. http://www.sexualityandu.ca/uploads/files/guidelinessexedeng.pdf Schenker, I and Nyirenda, M 2003, Preventing HIV/AIDS in Schools, International Academy of Education. http://www.ibe.unesco.org/publications/EducationalPracticesSeriesPdf/prac09e.pdf#page=1&zoom=auto,-154,601 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2001, HIV Prevention among young injecting drug users. http://www.unodc.org/documents/hivaids/publications/HIV_Prevention_among_Young_Injecting_Drug_Users.pdf UNAIDS 2002, Young People and HIV/AIDS, Opportunity in crisis. http://data.unaids.org/topics/young-people/youngpeoplehivaids_en.pdf Read More