People Living with Aids - A Population at Risk

Abstract

The research paper highlights that those diagnosed as AIDS positive are also 'people at risk'. It discusses the many reasons why this is true through the aid of literature. The reasons can be grouped into three categories on the basis of their affect on the patient's life. These are personal, professional and social.

People Living with Aids - A Population at Risk

Introduction

AIDS is the acronym for Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome. HIV aids cannot be revered as the disease of modern times; it had always existed in our world. The only difference is that mankind did not acknowledge its existence until 1981. Amongst the major natural causes of mortality in the world, in both the ancient and modern times, is HIV aids; most importantly in the least developed countries (Crepaz, 2002). The research paper discusses the many reasons people diagnosed as HIV positive can be considered as the population at risk.

Discussion

The people diagnosed with Aids face many other problems other than the disease. These relate to their personal, professional and social life. These are discussed hereunder.

Personal Life

The people diagnosed with Aids have a higher risk of other diseases also. Their immune system becomes particularly weak because of which they are at a risk of getting many illnesses. One of the major risks associated with people living with Aids is the heightened risk of certain cancers. There are six cancers that are very common to AIDS patients. These are anal cancer, Kaposi's sarcoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, liver cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and melanoma. In this context, it is imperative to state that research has been found that if antiretroviral therapy is started at an early age then the many cancers that have been found to hit the Aids patient very conveniently can be catered to. The ...