Halt and Reverse the Spread of HIV/AIDS and other STIs.

Halt and Reverse the Spread of HIV/AIDS and other STIs. Danielle Funk, Kristine Funk, Steve Brooks, Marc Lange, Angie Gross, Rob Roth, Will Esposito

HIV and STI Prevention • Importance= necessary for global development • Need to halt and reverse growth of HIV/AIDS • The Majority of HIV/AIDS transmission is due to lack of protection • Insufficient availability of effective programs that teach methods of protection • Empower younger generations with knowledge

HIV and STI Prevention • According to W.H.O. (world health organization) • -estimated 33.4-46.0 million people in 2005 were living with HIV • 4.1 million newly infected people in 2005 • 2.8 million people died in 2005 due to HIV/AIDS • Sub-Saharan Africa has 24.5 million people from age 15-49 • In Sub-Saharan Africa more than half of all new infected HIV cases are under the age of 25 • South Africa 18.8 % of population has HIV • HIV epidemic continues to expand today • all other continents (Asia, Europe, north America..ext) all had .5% or less of HIV infected population

HIV/AIDS Facts • The numbers clearly indicate the extent to which HIV/AIDS represents a monumental global health challenge and an immense obstacle to development. • 2005, between 33.4 million and 46.0 million people were living with HIV, approximately 2.8 million people died of AIDS • Half of all new HIV infections occur among people under the age of 25

HIV/AIDS Facts • Sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the largest burden of HIV/AIDS, it is estimated that 24.5 million people aged 15-49 years are infected with HIV • The prevalence of HIV in the various regions of the world at the end of 2005 was 6.1% in sub-Saharan Africa, 1.6% in the Caribbean, 0.8% in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, 0.5% in Latin America, 0.5% in North America, Western and Central Europe, 0.4% in Asia, 0.3% in Oceania, and 0.2% in North Africa and the Middle East. • Overall, these statistics demonstrate that HIV is a disease that disproportionately affects poor and developing countries

Evidence-based Interventions for HIV/STI Prevention • Starts with education • Need for multiple prevention, testing, and treatment strategies • Must address gender inequality

Education • Main focus of HIV prevention • Inform groups about HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. • Teach how these infections are contracted • Teach ways to prevent and avoid contracting these infections

Prevention, Testing, and Treatment • STI/HIV prevention behavioral interventions • VTC • Anti-retroviral therapy • Injection drug use treatment and safe injection programs • Integration of HIV prevention into family planning programs to reduce mother to child transmission • Consistent and correct use of condoms • Effective treatment for STIs • Testing of the blood supply

Promote Gender Equality for Women • Must promote gender equality, so women are able to take action • Women are not able to act upon information obtained from programs because they are not in a position of power • Not able to practice abstinence or use condoms • Enable individuals to make decisions about their own sexual health.

STI Prevention and Education • STI Prevention • Those with STI’s are at a greater risk of getting HIV/AIDS • Education • Condom use decreases odds of transmission by 80-90%

Diagnosis and Treatment • What you don’t know can kill you • Many STI’s are curable • HIV is maintainable

Empowerment of Women • 64% of women who have HIV/AIDS are African Women • In developing countries women in general have a higher rate of HIV/AIDS • Low sexual assertiveness increases risk for HIV

Proper Distribution of Funds • ABC’s not just A or B • Cheaper to prevent • Africa: 17% of economic loss • 2-4% reduction of growth rate a year

Need for Effective HIV/STI Interventions • Ensure Wide Access to Effective Interventions • 5% to mother-child transmission • 12% to VTC • 12% to AIDS education • 8% out of school youth in sub-Saharan Africa

Need for Effective HIV/STI Interventions • To Increase Access to Condoms • Reduces Risk by 80-90% • Promoting does not increase occurrence sexual activity • Global condom supply is less than 50% what is need. • Funding/supply must increase by 3 fold to be effective

Need for Effective HIV/STI Interventions • Adequate funding for STI/HIV prevention programming that respects the right to informed decisions • For every 1 person treated for antiretroviral therapy, 6 others become infected with HIV • Should focus on the ABC Approach • Abstinence , be faithful, use condoms has been proven to be effective in Uganda

Need for Effective HIV/STI Interventions • The need to reduce and eliminate social inequality related to sexual inequality and gender • Many cultures exhibit prejudices, norms, and even laws towards sexual minorities • Minorities and women need to be empowered in order for everyone to be able to make informed decisions

The Future • HIV and STI’s pose a serious threat to healthcare • Failure to take ownership of related programs would be detrimental • Growth as experienced by humanity cannot be fully achieved without great measures taken to resolve the issue of HIV

Implications • Success requires a cooperative effort at all levels • Address cultural norms, beliefs and gender equality • Promote widespread awareness of HIV and STI’s • Reform legal frameworks to remove barriers to effective prevention

Halt and Reverse the Spread of HIV/AIDS and other STIs.