Nuanced approaches to HIV/AIDS research

This research work explores the rate at which HIV/AIDS affects the whole populace of South Africa. It actually focuses on the trend at which HIV/AIDS follows for a period of 10 years, (2011-2020). HIV/AIDS is more of a developmental challenge than merely a health issue. It erodes the economy of a country completely unless urgency is applicable. Skills and ideas which are meant to make life a better place for people become untransferable. A lot of dreams become shattered and unfulfilled due to this deadly pandemic. Children who are meant to enjoy good parental up-bringing and morals are orphans. Every day, 14,000 people become infected with HIV/AIDS. This makes various research works on the production of more effective therapy, one of the world’s top public health priorities. Inspite of various research works on the production of effective therapies, no researcher has been able to come up with a lasting solution to this deadly pandemic. The available therapies, that is, the antiretroviral therapies, (ART) are meant to control the symptoms, and it is not even as if the ART are readily available and accessible by all the people living with the virus. This study aims at forecasting the trend at which HIV/AIDS death will follow for a period of 10 years, (2011-2020) based on the past record, based on the study recommendations.

Individuals accurate assessment of their risk seems to be a key factor in the adoption of a behaviour. However, the relationship between individual’s risk perception and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination is unclear. Understanding this relationship will aid in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. To this end, the paper attempts to examine how people’s risk perception affects their attitudes towards stigma and discrimination. The study will use data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys. Logistic regression will be used to predict the relationship between HIV/AIDS risk perception and attitudes towards stigma and discrimination. Given the implementation of various HIV prevention programmes in Ghana, one would expect individuals with higher risk perception to have a more positive attitude towards people living with HIV.

Background
This paper presents the first mixed methods study of the HIV risk environments of MSW in China. Chinese MSW are highly stigmatised, occupying marginal social positions, undertaking illegal/hidden behaviours. They are at an increased risk of HIV infection due to multiple risk exposures.
Methods
The mixed methods research was conducted in Guangdong, China in 2011. Following ethnographic mapping, MSW (n=251) were surveyed using a structured questionnaire and a sub-sample (n=21) were interviewed in-depth.
Results
Levels of HIV knowledge varied according to a number of socio-economic variables. Reasons for entering sex work, and subsequent risk taking behaviours including drug use appeared to largely centre around economic needs or desires. The survey reveals that levels of condom use varied considerably by partner type and gender. Qualitative analyses suggest that issues of intimacy and stigma played an important role in this behavioural decision making process. These men also show very high levels of mobility, making them hard to reach.
Discussion
As a mixed methods study of MSW in China, we present a more nuanced exploration of the drivers of HIV in this marginalised group than previous work has been able to. We present evidence that may be useful in identifying potential avenues for more targeted interventions.

The spread of STIs/HIV and the infection cases are significantly increasing in China. Migrant males are big concern in this topic. Since the existence of elder male bachelors with migrant experience due to sex imbalance in China, the situation of STIs/HIV transmission becomes more complicated. This research focuses on risks of STIs/HIV transmission among migrant males in the context of sex imbalance in China. The data comes from the survey of sexuality and reproductive health conducted in a western central city, where represents most social characteristic of sex imbalance. The theory of risky perception is used as the theoretical framework. With the analysis strategy of description and regression by comparison between elder male bachelors and other migrant, this research targets to reveal the correlation between risky perception of STIs/HIV infection and risky sexual behaviors. The self-protective motivation relates to STIs/HIV transmission are also discussed to analyze the migrant males’ risks. With the emergence of elder male bachelors, the results are helpful to make policy applications to improve the prevention and education of STIs/HIV transmission in the situation of sex imbalance in China.

Studies have examined the AIDS/TB Mortality Consequence of Migration but ignored other causes. We recognise that migrants could die of causes that can preclude AIDS/TB. Therefore, this paper employs a competing risk technique developed by Gray and Fine to investigate how the relationship between migration and AIDS/TB has evolved between 1994 and 2009 in South Africa in the context of other diseases and how the relationship compares with that of migration and other causes of death

The results indicate a changing relationship between migration and AIDS/TB mortality at each period of analysis . Migrants have greater odds of dying of AIDS/TB compared to their non-migrants counterparts. However, the gap became narrow at the later period. It is shown also that migration affects all causes of death

While we expect migration to influence AIDS/TB epidemic the way it did (increasing then decreasing contribution due to the availability of ART at the population level) but what is probably much less expected was its role on "silent" NCDs and other causes.

Sexual risk behaviour among Nigerian adolescents is a major health concern. Efforts have been made to reduce teenage pregnancy and discourage child marriage in Nigeria yet, just 26% girls in northern Nigeria make it beyond primary school due to sexual vulnerability and over 600,000 Nigerians seek abortion each year while the HIV infection rates among young people aged 15-19 was put at 3.3% by UNFPA. This put 31.7% of the nation’s populace at HIV and STIs risk. Random sampling method was adopted in the investigation of 400 college students and rural adolescent girls sexual activities in Nigeria. Questionnaire and structured interviews were used to determine the level of success public enlightenment has achieved in curbing further spread of HIV and STDs. Findings reveal that rural adolescent girls are most vulnerable and there is positive correlation between education, exposure to media and sexual activity. Recommendations are also made based on the findings to strengthen media impacts in bringing about behavioural change on the subject matter with the consciousness of the discovery of this work that the media is one of the factors that put youths at risk of illicit sexual behavior and its despicable aftermaths and levers that can be used in preventive interventions.

This paper contributes methodologically and substantively to the debate over the importance of poverty, sexual behaviour, and circumcision in HIV infection using panel data on young black men and women in Cape Town, South Africa. Methodological challenges include problems of endogeneity and blunt indicator variables, especially for the measurement of sexual behaviour. Noting these difficulties, we found that the importance of socio-economic and sexual-behavourial factors differed between men and women. While a clear association was found between the number of years of sexual activity and HIV status among both men and women, we found that past participation in a concurrent sexual partnership increased the odds of HIV infection for men but not for women. Women, but not men, who made the transition from school to tertiary education (our key indicator of socio-economic status) were less likely to be HIV positive than those who made the transition from school to unemployment. Both poverty and sexual behaviour matter, but in gendered ways.

Most of the young people are at the risk because they don’t have proper knowledge, health services, and social support which are essentials for sexual and reproductive health. Utilizing the data “Youth in India: Situation and Needs (2006-07)” explore the comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS among male and female with respect to marital status in India. Bi-variate analysis multivariate; PCA and logistic regression methods are used in the study. PCA used for the measuring the women agency. Freedom of movement, decision making and self efficacy are the domain of agency. Linkages between women agency and comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS are positively related to young women. Women belonging to high agency have better comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS comparatively those women belong to lower and medium agency. Knowledge gap between male and female finding shows that, more than 10 years of schooling comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS married Male (75%) and female (72%) where as unmarried male (64%) and unmarried female (59%). Age, current working status, Mass media exposure, wealth index, residence are appeared as a significant predictor for the knowledge of HIV/AIDS. There is a need to make strategic plan, especially for the women for increasing the awareness level of comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS infection is not the result of ignorance as nearly everyone has sufficient knowledge about AIDS and how it is transmitted in Africa. HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) is the gateway to comprehensive HIV support including access to antiretroviral therapy. Despite the array of delivery approaches and the advantages of VCT, uptake is disappointingly low. This study examines factors associated with willingness to test for HIV among urban poor residents (15-59 years) of Accra.

Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate regression techniques are used to determine the factors influencing willingness to test for HIV using the Edulink Urban Health and Poverty project questionnaire.

Comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS did not influence willingness to test for HIV. This suggests the need for interventions such as behavioural change communication strategies to improve willingness to test for HIV.

Year 2011 witnessed two milestones acknowledging issues of “International-Migrant-PLHIVs” globally, Political Declaration HIV/AIDS which targeta at ‘eliminating HIV-related restriction on entry, stay and residence by 2015’ and US president ‘ending the ban prohibiting PLHIV from entering America.’ India-Nepal and India-Bangladesh are two prominent cross-border migration corridors, prior being open-boarder and later an illegal gateway. This study explores ART related issues of Nepali and Bangladeshi PLHIVs residing in Mumbai. Data is collected through in-depth-interactions and FGDs with PLHIVs during July-August, 2012. Unavailability of entitlements including bank account results in disposable cash migrants usually spend on various risk-behavior. Despite free ART services at India, factors like self-stigma, fear of discrimination at and losing employment, language incompatibility, lack of local identity documents/proof hurdles treatment initiation. Secrecy regarding nationality to avoid being deported restricts the Bangladeshis. Non-Indian status often demands extra effort, time, and additional formalities, sometimes-even money. Unfavorable provider’s attitude, side effects leads to default and non-disclosure to spouse and family and unavailability of ART when visiting native country result even in discontinuation.