5 HW003 - UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACHES.

UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACHES
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Understanding Public Health Approaches
Data collected since the 1980s about HIV in the UK reveal that men who have sex with men (MSM) remain the most vulnerable group. One significant reason for this trend is this population have poor sexual health practices. This exposes them to a higher risk of HIV infections. The situation is even more challenging since the gay community still face stigma in society. So, public health approaches must have more robust initiatives in place to ensure the equal treatment of this demographic The Public health England has promoted measures meant to improve the sexual health of men who have sex with men (MSM). Due to the high rate of HIV infections amongst MSM, many public health campaigns have been launched across the UK, targeting them. Also, laws such as the Equality Act of 2010 protect the rights of people with HIV. It ensures that gay men are safeguarded from discriminatory practices in the healthcare system (Nash et al. 2018). This paper first looks at the extent of HIV in the gay community in the UK. Second, it describes the impact of social factors on this public health issue. Then, it explains the public health approaches taken by the UK. Lastly, the paper identifies an effective policy that addresses the HIV issue within the gay community.
Part 1
Analysis of statistics
In the UK, over 100,000 people are infected by the HIV pandemic and around 7,000 undiagnosed. Statistics show that more than half of new HIV diagnosis comes from bisexual or gay men. This shows the high prevalence rate of HIV amongst the gay population. Gay people have been the most affected by this pandemic. A significant challenge in the fight against HIV in the UK is late diagnosis. Data from 2017 shows that over 40% of HIV cases in the UK are late diagnosis. These late diagnosis cause many deaths since patients find out about their status when the disease has advanced while earlier diagnosis could have prevented these deaths. Amongst the gay population, those undiagnosed with HIV are about 4,200 men. Late diagnosis becomes dangerous since gay people with multiple sexual partners may unknowingly spread the virus to others. In recent years, the UK has witnessed a lower rate of HIV diagnosis. Since 2016, there has been a reduction in the number of new diagnoses. The year 2017 recorded a 20% drop from 2016 in the number of a new diagnosis. Some of the public health approaches that have led to this downward trend include increased awareness, stronger legislation, and robust HIV control initiatives (Avert 2019). Also, viral suppression has increased in the UK due to broader access to antiretroviral treatments.
Statistics from the UK's public health indicate that close to 50,000 gay men have HIV. To put it into perspective, out of a sample of 1000 MSM, over 80 are HIV positive. The highest prevalence rate per 1000 MSM is in London, with over 130 men living with HIV. Due to the rise in HIV infections among the gay population, the UK has increased its testing capacity for gays.
Health surveys showed that about 75% of men who are diagnosed with HIV don't have regular t...