HIV Infections and AIDS
This is an excerpt from the paper...
This paper is an examination of the problems that the rising epidemic of HIV infection and AIDS poses to social workers, both as a direct issue in providing service to infected clients and as an indirect part of the overall job of social work. The prevalence of this devastating illness has had a profound effect on society as a whole. The consequences for social workers, however, are even greater, since the field services many of the patients most profoundly affected, either those who are suffering from advanced stages of the disease or those who are closely involved with the ailing. In order to provide the most effective service possible, social workers need to understand the stages of HIV and AIDS, the most current medical understanding of the ways in which HIV can be transmitted, some of the current treatments, and funding and other resources that are available to diagnosed patients. Workers also need to confront some of the more difficult issues presented by the disease, including their own ability to comfortably discuss subjects such as sexual orientation, homophobia, racism, and death. HIV and AIDS present powerful challenges to service providers to do a complete and effective job for their clients. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome was first classified as a separate medical phenomenon by the Centers for Disease Control in 1982, recognizing 200 cases early that year. By 1985, with more than 10,000 cases documented, the CDC had defined HIV as the cause of AIDS
. . .
Social Security Disability Income, but this is not the case with being diagnosed simply as HIV-positive. Steiner points out, "A protracted determination of disability can mean a long wait and eventual denial of Medicaid" (326). One of the important implications of the prevalence of HIV and AIDS for social workers is the need for a thorough understanding of the funding and other resources available to patients and a clear comprehension of limits, technicalities, and other obstacles to receiving care.
Social workers also need to understand how the virus is transmitted in order to educate clients and help prevent the spread of HIV. Steiner points out that infection is relatively difficult; transmission can only be achieved through a break in the skin or through a mucous membrane and only through an exchange of semen, vaginal secretions, blood, or, in very rare cases, breast milk, during sexual activity, needle sharing, medical procedures, organ transplants, artificial insemination, accidental exposure to infected blood, fetal bloodstream exchange, vaginal delivery, or breast feeding.
Catherine A. Sanderson and Edward W. Maibach write, "Given the lack of a cure or vaccine HIV, current efforts to reduce the spread of HIV and
. . .
Some common words found in the essay are:
HIV AIDS, According Steiner, Dylan Foley, Sanderson Maibach, , Shanti AIDS, CDC AIDS, HIV Steiner, Mari Kitahata, Health Organization, social workers, hiv aids, spread hiv, workers confront, sexual orientation, prevent spread hiv, prevent spread, forces social workers, populations social, virus transmitted, forces social, edward maibach, populations social workers, social workers confront, funding resources available,
Approximate Word count = 1878
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)
More Essays on HIV Infections and AIDS
|
Customer Service
to Over
32,000 Professionally Written Papers!!!
