Acronyms

AIDS: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

ART: Antiretroviral therapy

ARV: Antiretroviral

HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus

HIV Positive: A result of being HIV positive from the blood test for HIV/AIDS

Background

HIV/AIDS is one of the most serious medical conditions. The prevalence of the disease is highest in Third World nations, especially Africa. One of the reasons that no long-term curative measure has been developed for the virus is the slow advancement in medical research in this field. Families of the patients, the society, and even the medical practitioners themselves have developed a bias for the disease.

What is HIV/AIDS and why has it Presented a Medical Challenge?

The purpose of the study is to explain the factors leading to low advancement in medical research dealing with HIV/AIDS. The study seeks to understand the reasons that HIV/AIDS patients only live on ARVs, which are merely preventive, but there are no treatment medications. It also looks into ways that nurses should be educated to deal with the menace.

What is the meaning of Non-adherence?

This is the failure of medical practitioners to adhere to specific guidelines that would help HIV/AIDS patients live longer. It is also the lack of emphasis on medication and treatment for the virus.

 

 

Review Question

What are the medical advances in treatment and care for HIV/AIDS positive patients and how does it relate to nursing education?

Population: HIV/AIDS patients need regular medical checkups and advanced methods that help them prolong their lives by taking antiretroviral drugs and adopting a good nutritional program (Phaladze et al. 2005 p. 24). The study wants to find out the factors contributing to stigma against HIV/AIDS and the necessary medical advancements.

Intervention: Nurses and other medical experts need to create awareness of the HIV/AIDS problem in society. This will help to reduce stigma and ensure that the patients get the care they need. Nurses also need to be educated on technologies and methods to give individualized care for HIV/AIDS patients (Uwakwe, 2000 p. 10). Only patients who have tested positive for HIV will be included. The patients must have tested positive for HIV in the last 12 months and living in the United States.

Comparison: Nursing education on care and treatment of HIV has advanced in the modern century as compared to the earlier centuries where even the medical practitioners themselves had the stigma for the patients (Brown, Macintyre, and Trujillo 2003 p. 50).

Outcome:

Primary: To understand the factors that increase HIV/AIDS prevalence and approaches that nurses need to take to cope with the problem.

Secondary: Advanced methods will imply a reduction of medical costs for families living with HIV/AIDS patients

Database Searches to be used in the study

Search for HIV/AIDS on Google Scholar

Search for organizations and institutions that deal with HIV/AIDS

Medline

World Health Organization (WHO)

Search Terms to be used in the Study

HIV/AIDS

HIV diagnosis and treatment methodologies

The role of WHO in HIV/AIDS problem

Nurse education on HIV/AIDS

Inclusion Criteria

Scholarly-reviewed journal articles

Quantitative and qualitative studies

Meta-analysis literature

Types of Studies to be Included in the Review

All the studies to be utilized in the review must be quantitative, qualitative, or analytical in nature.

Tools to be used to Collect Evidence

The study will interview individuals who have tested positive for HIV/AIDS and their families. Questionnaires will also be used to collect data.

Conclusion

HIV/AIDS is one of the most severe infections that need immediate medical attention and advancement of diagnosis and treatment methods. The success in management and treatment of the virus is mainly hampered by stigma in both nurses and patients.

 

Reference List

Brown, L., Macintyre, K. and Trujillo, L., 2003. Interventions to reduce HIV/AIDS stigma: what have we learned? AIDS Education and Prevention, 15 (1), pp.49-69.

Uwakwe, C.B., 2000. Systematized HIV/AIDS education for student nurses at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria: impact on knowledge, attitudes and compliance with universal precautions. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 32(2), pp.416-424.

Phaladze, N.A., Human, S., Dlamini, S.B., Hulela, E.B., Mahlubi Hadebe, I., Sukati, N.A., Makoae, L.N., Seboni, N.M., Moleko, M. and Holzemer, W.L., 2005. Quality of Life and the Concept of “Living Well” with HIV/AIDS in Sub?Saharan Africa. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 37(2), pp.120-126.