HIV and STI in South Africa, Research Paper Example

Sexual transmitted infections (STIs) are diseases transmitted during unprotected sexual intercourse. STI’s can cause various infections, such as acute, illness, chronic illness, disability, infertility, and death. One of the major infections contracted sexually is the HIV infection (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). (WHO) Youth in South Africa,ranging from age 15-24, have been found to exhibit the highest HIV rates in the world. (Harrison 1) Attention, therefore, has been focused on the implementation of different types of programs to help decrease the rates in the youth, particularly with attention towards young women. The problem that exists is the implementation of most effective method to decline HIV infection of youth in South Africa. There have been studies that show the decrease in HIV infections due to changes in sexual behavior in young adults (Johnson 1); however, specific methods are still in question. Group-based interventions and school-based interventions have illustrateddecrease in HIV type risk behavior through an increased educational knowledge of sexual reproduction and overall reproductive health. (Harrison 1)In regard to young women, interventions should be assessed and factors such as social influence, violence and poverty should be taken into consideration. The current paper discusses the types of interventions specific to South African youth, particularly women, for HIV prevention.

Young women in South Africa have a higher rate of HIV infection. During a 2005 study, 16.9% of women versus 4.4% of men were indicated among HIV infected. The high prevalence in women is associated with various factors such as poverty, culture, violence/abuse, non-condom use, and politics. (Muula 423) Assessing the factors associated with youth HIV infection in order to manipulate a strategy for prevention is difficult due to the limitations in research. For instance, studies are not able to access all communities in South Africa and most of the studies are from the larger metropolitan areas. In addition, the education level or status of individuals in some areas differs from those in others and therefore, some may not benefit from an educational program. (Louw 1) These factors play an important role in the type of intervention needed.

There are several types of interventions that have been implemented for HIV awareness and prevention. For example, programs such as delay sexual contact with abstinence, monogamy, avoid intergenerational sex and encourage condom usage. (Muula 3; Venkatesh 157) A study conducted by Harrison (3), investigated eight different intervention strategies aimed at HIV prevention. Five of the intervention programs were geared to HIV-related risk behaviors to include condom use, violence against partners, and alcohol use during sexual activity. One of the intervention programs, called IMAGE, was targeted towards young women. The results of the study found that there are key elements associated with interventions, such as social structure in regard to gender, poverty and drug use, group based deliveries, bringing in additional personnel outside of school setting to deliver intervention, and directing the intervention at the school and individual level. The study illustrated the helpful and promising approaches that could help decrease HIV rates in the youth of South Africans. Extracting the key elements from all interventions and implementing the elements into the IMAGE program, specific for women, could help decrease the HIV rate in South African women as well.

HIV infection through sexual intercourse is a major problem in the youth of South Africa, with women at the highest rates of infection. Implementing programs, such as IMAGE, with key element factors can help reduce the transmission risk, as well as HIV risk behavior. Further research should be conducted on women only group-based interventions since the women with reported HIV infections is 10% greater than male cohorts.

The search strategy for the paper included web-based searches of PubMed and Google. PubMed search input was indicated as “STI in South African Youth”. In addition, the search was narrowed down to “Full Articles” and “Last 5 Years”. The most common topic for the search prompted as HIV infections in youth. Further research into the articles noted the need for interventions to decrease the HIV rates in South African Youth. Web-based searches on Google with “HIV” and “HIV in South African Youth” provided additional primary journal articles, as well as health care agency website information, such as HIV facts.

Works Cited

Harrison, A., Newell, M.L., Imrie, J., Hoddinott, G. HIV prevention for South African youth: which interventions work? A systematic review of current evidence.BMC Public Health.2010. 10:102.

Louw, J., Pelzer, K., Chirinda, W. Correlates of HIV Risk Reduction Self-Efficacy among Youth in South Africa.ScientificWorldJourna. 2012.

Johnson WD., Diaz RM, Flanders WD, Goodman M, Hill AN, Holtgrave D, Malow R, McClellan, WM. Behavioral interventions to reduce risk for sexual transmission of HIV among men who have sex with men.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008. July 16(3).

Muula, AS. HIV Infection and AIDS Among Young Women in South Africa. Croatian Medical Journal.2008. 49(3):423-435.

Venkatesh, KK PhD., Madiba, P., De Bruyn G., Lurie MN PhD, Coates TJ, Gray, GE. Who Gets Tested for HIV in a South African Urban Township? Implications for Test and Treat and ender-Based Prevention Interventions. Epidemiology and Prevention.J Acquir Immune De?c Syndr.2011. 56(2):151-165.

WHO. HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. (2013). Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/ith/diseases/hivaids/en/