ESSAY: Public Health

For this assignment, you are to select a target population with a specific health issue and research how social, cultural, and behavior factors of the target population contribute to health outcomes associated with the health issue. The 1,200-1,500 word Research Paper must including the following:
Introduction: Provide a concise synopsis of the purpose of the paper and a general introduction to the target population and the health issue.
Target Population: Provide a description about the target population that you have selected; provide demographic information about the population; and discuss relevant social, cultural, and behavior factors that affect this population.
Health Issue: Provide information discussing the health issue that you have selected; include a history of knowledge and public health understanding regarding the health issue; how it has evolved; biological and epidemiological information related to the disease; and major social, cultural, and behavior factors that affect or relate to the health issue.
Relationship Between Health Issue and Target Population: Analyze how social, cultural, and behavior factors in the target population contribute to the health issue; and identify what factors/characteristics are positive or negative and which behaviors/practices/beliefs serve as risk factors or protective factors.
Current Strategies/Interventions: Discuss existing programming to prevent or reduce the health issue within the target population and challenges to interventions and programming.
Recommendations/Conclusion: Make recommendations to resolve the health issue within the target population based on your review of current literature and what you have learned throughout the course.
ANSWER

Public Health

Introduction

Public health is the science of improving health standards of communities through policy-making, education, research for diseases, and implementation of prevention mechanisms to ensure excellent health individuals. As a public health professional, an individual works around the world, solving health problems and campaigning for creation and modification of policies that affect societies health. One of the significant health issues creating a problem for public health providers is the increased cases of HIV/ AIDS around the globe. The disease is among primary health conditions spreading at a dangerous speed, which calls for a timely intervention. Currently, world health statistics indicate that Sub-Saharan Africa is the most affected region with the highest cases of HIV/AIDS. Sub- Saharan Africa is characterized by African countries located in southern part of the Sahara (World Health Organization, 2016). The beliefs, environment, and lifestyle of the people in the region create a platform for the spread of the disease. HIV/ AIDS is considered one of the leading causes of death among the Sub-Saharan African population. Purposely, this paper intends to -discuss the health problem of HIV/AIDS in Sub- Sahara Africa, current interventions and the possible measures to reduce the number of cases in the region.

Target Population: Sub- Saharan Africa

According to the World Population Prospects, the people in the region is about 1.2 billion, with a population density of 78 per square kilometers. Most people in the area are below 15 years of age, which makes them prone to diseases. High cases of infections are also caused by social-cultural and behavioral factors in the region. Major socio-economic factors that affect the health of the population include education levels, income, housing, culture, access to nutritious food and spirituality. Illiteracy levels in the region are extremely high, which affects most of the population in terms of self-care (Greenwood, Kircher, Santos & Tertilt, 2019). The area is also characterized by underdeveloped nations with high levels of unemployment, hence low-income levels to afford quality healthcare services.  Low income also limits the population’s ability to access nutritious food that can help enhance their body immunity.

 Improper housing and living environment are also other factors that contribute to poor health in the region by creating room for the population to get exposed to disease-causing elements. Lastly, spirituality affects the health of the people through manipulation to engage in particular activities that create room for emergence and spread of illnesses. For instance, there are religions where it is believed that their god is the only healer. Therefore, the application of any pharmacological medication is considered a violation of their god’s will and can attract severe punishments to the extent of death (Huo, Chen & Wang, 2016). Availability of such beliefs has encouraged resistance towards treatment, creating room for spread and emergence of illnesses that can be prevented and treated.

Health Issue: HIV/AIDS According to the World Health Organization, cases of HIV/AIDS are undergoing significant growth. Immediate intervention is, therefore, necessary to stop the epidemic before it becomes impossible to handle. HIV/AIDS functions by attacking the elements in the immune system that deals with infections, CD4 cells. Unavailability of CD4 cells from the immune system allows the emergence of subsequent health problems, affecting the body severely since the protection mechanism is destroyed…