Aids-_a_Global_Phenomenon

Human Populations and a Global Phenomenon: AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (commonly known as AIDS) is a collection of symptoms and infections resulting from the damage to the immune system caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which attacks the body’s immune system leaving individuals vulnerable to opportunistic infections which usually results in death. It was found that not everyone with HIV has AIDS, but everyone with AIDS has HIV. HIV is transmitted through direct contact of the bloodstream with bodily fluid such as: blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-seminal fluid and breast milk of a HIV positive person, during sexual intercourse, the sharing of contaminated needles, tattooing, child birth, breast feeding, intravenous drug use and blood transfusions. Since it originated from Sub-Saharan Africa in 1981, AIDS has been reported in over 150 countries worldwide (including the most populous countries, such as China, India and Russia) and has claimed the lives of approximately 25 million people, making it one of the most widespread and destructive epidemics in recorded history.  AIDS was once thought to only be a homosexual man’s disease (because a few years ago in developed countries the majority of people who had AIDS were homosexual men); these days the majority of the population who suffer from AIDS are innocent victims: men, women and children in the developed and developing world. Out of the 39.5 million people who were living with AIDS by the end of 2006, 19.5 million infected with AIDS were found to be men (over 15 years), 17.7 million were found to be women (over 15 years) and 2.3 million were found to be children (under 15 years). People living with HIV/AIDS by the end of 2006   The impact of HIV/AIDS can been seen in many societies today, especially where prevalence is high. It has significantly decreased life expectancy and has slowed economic growth, while increasing extreme poverty and a variety of other factors that compromise development. In the past the impact of AIDS has been particularly devastating in sub-Saharan Africa, as the region is densely populated, poverty stricken, has an extremely high prevalence of unsafe sex and intravenous drug use among the population. The most disturbing thing of all is that the majority of people living in the region are uneducated, therefore unaware of the consequences (impacts) of living in such appalling conditions and undertaking in risky activities. AIDS has impact on many sectors within a country/community Human and social impacts of AIDS on people are: * a wide variety of physical health problems. * social isolation due to the stigma and misunderstanding of the spread of the disease. * altered family responsibilities - grandparents caring for large numbers of grandchildren. * children orphaned, and left to live alone and fend for themselves. Currently more than 12 million children in Sub-Saharan Africa are maternal orphans of AIDS. By 2010, 44 million children in 34 countries hardest hit by HIV/AIDS will have lost one or both parents, primarily from AIDS. * loss of cultural traditions as parents and key community members die before children are able to absorb their knowledge. * loss of healthy adults, which means less ability to grow food and earn an income. * loss of income, which makes people less able to access health care, education, and food, which, in turn, means they are less able to develop fully and protect themselves against exploitation and are likely to fall further into debt. * a high toll on the educational system in Africa; it has eroded the supply of qualified teachers, made it more difficult for children to attend school because family budgets are reduced, and increased the number of children growing up without the parental support they need to stay in school. Economic impacts of AIDS on people are: * loss of income as family members become sick and are unable to work, or have to give up work to care for the sick. * the increased mortality in HIV/AIDS affected regions will result in a smaller skilled population and labour force which will impede economic growth and destroy human capita. Economic impacts of AIDS on countries are: * loss of investment in education and the knowledge and skills of professionally trained people * reduced ability to produce food * reduced ability to generate income from internal sales and exports * high costs of treatment and demands on health systems * collapse of economies and societies due to the large numbers of people who fall victim to AIDS and are therefore unable to work. * As HIV prevalence rates increase, there is a decline in the total and growth in national income. In countries where 20 percent or more of the population is infected, GDP may decline up to 2 percent a year. * AIDS has high costs to the workforce, including lost productivity, hiring and retraining, and high costs for insurance and medical care. It will also lead to labour shortages in some countries. While unskilled workers may be relatively easy to replace in countries with high unemployment, the impact will be severe among skilled workers, including the educational system. The largest problem with AIDS is that most people in developing countries don’t realize that they have contracted HIV/AIDS until it’s too late. Poverty, social/cultural factors and lack of education is largely to blame for the AIDS pandemic in Africa, where by the end of 2006 there were 24.7 million adults and children living with AIDS and 2.1 million people had died from AIDS in Africa. There is a strong spatial association between the spread of HIV/AIDS and countries where conflict and displacement is commonplace (as social networks are disrupted and sexual exploitation is used as a weapon) and countries that have high levels of poverty, large populations (like Africa) that engage in risky behaviour - such as unsafe sex and intravenous drug use. As it has been found that there is a strong spatial interaction between migrants from countries where HIV/AIDS is prevalent and the transmission of HIV/AIDS to host countries, so as a precaution host countries may disallow migrants from countries that have a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS (such as: Africa) to enter their country until they have been tested for AIDS and if they are found to have AIDS they are deported back to Africa(their country of origin). As a further precaution countries surrounding country affected by AIDS may even erect trade barriers between themselves and the affected country as an extra precaution to further minimize risk of transmission of HIV/AIDS through contaminated goods or handling of goods by person from affected country. AIDS mortality is changing the population structure of many African countries. Instead of the "population pyramid" in which there is a gradual reduction in population at higher ages, there is a "population chimney", with a sharp decrease in the number of adults over age 30. As a result, large numbers of children will grow up without their parents, and increased child labor will become unavoidable. People living with HIV/AIDS by the end of 2006  HIV/AIDS effects population structure and density in Africa, but the consequences of HIV/AIDS are also(but not more) important to countries surrounding country affected by AIDS, as these countries will be the ones to deal with issues concerning migrants from countries whose population largely consists of people who have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Also countries surrounding country affected by AIDS will have to make tough decisions concerning trade between themselves and the affected country. Which may even result in erecting trade barriers between themselves and the affected country to further minimize risk of transmission of HIV/AIDS through contaminated goods or handling of goods by person from affected country.