International Council of Nurses [Fact Sheet - Mobilising Nurses For HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care]

Home News Room Nursing Matters Mobilising Nurses For HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care

Nursing Matters fact sheets provide quick reference information and international perspectives from the nursing profession on current health and social issues.

Mobilising Nurses For HIV/AIDS
Prevention and Care

The HIV infection continues to spread around the world. In a number of countries AIDS is the leading cause of death in young people. It is increasingly affecting women. Estimates by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that over 30 million people world-wide have been infected with HIV and almost 14 million people have died due to the disease. The majority of people infected with HIV die within a decade, unless they have access to treatment.
New HIV infections occur at a rate of about 16 000 people a day, of whom approximately 7 000 are children. At present HIV/AIDS is among the top ten causes of death world wide, and if current levels of infection continue, it is expected to rise into the top five soon. (UNAIDS/WHO Report, 1998)
Most HIV infections occur in developing countries where resources to provide care and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS are scarce. About 21 million (86%) of people with HIV/AIDS live in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. It is estimated that 6.4 million people are currently living with HIV in Asia. HIV infection is also rapidly rising in Eastern Europe. In Latin America HIV infection is rising in some countries and declining or stable in others. In many industrialised countries, HIV infection is falling or remaining stable.
Spread of HIV infection
HIV transmission involves complex cultural, behavioural and economic forces. Poverty, illiteracy and violence often force people to engage in unsafe sexual practices. As well, the "invisible" nature of HIV infection fuels the epidemic in that the carriers infect others without realising that they themselves are infected.
The common causes of HIV transmission include the following:

Unprotected sex between men and women

Unprotected sex between homosexual men

Intravenous drug use and sharing of needles

Commercial sex work

Blood transfusion

Mother-to-child transmission

In rare circumstances, HIV infection can spread in health care settings to patients/clients or health care providers, through needle stick or injury with other sharps (ICN, 1996).
The Rising HIV infection rate in women shows that heterosexual transmission is becoming more common. Often economic, social and gender inequity put women at risk of HIV infection, as their power to negotiate for safe sex is undermined. The presence of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) also increases the risk of HIV infection.
Antiretroviral drug therapy (ART) has postponed the development of AIDS and prolonged the life of people living with HIV. However, ART remains inaccessible to developing countries due to its high cost. ART has also reduced the rate of mother-to-child transmission in countries that have access to drugs.
Actions by National Nurses Associations (NNAs) and others
It is important that nurses and others are up to date with the HIV/AIDS situation in their country, the mode of spread, access to care and treatment. Nurses need to use facts and figures to lobby for increased access to prevention, treatment and a continuum of care for people living with HIV/AIDS. NNAs, nurses, governments and organisations can:

1. Dispel myths and misinformation: Network with the media and other health professionals to provide information, education and communication to combat ignorance, fear and stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.

2.
Lobby policy makers: Advocate for access to prevention, counselling, care and treatment, and political commitment to mobilise resources, including access to ART.

3. Safeguard human rights: Stimulate dialogue on respect for human rights, support voluntary testing and treat people living with HIV/AIDS like other people with a chronic disease.

4. Reduce transmission: Provide education on safe sex, abstinence, condom accessibility and empowerment of women through education, economic rights and access to condoms. Disseminate information materials.

5. Increase capacity for care: Provide training and supervision of family members in home care, strengthen health systems capacity to prevent and care, mobilise community resources and donor agencies.

6. Target Vulnerable populations: Focus preventive efforts on those that are at high risk of HIV infection including commercial sex workers, homosexual men, intravenous drug users, street children and homeless people.

7. Promote a continuum of care: Advocate for compassionate nursing care, prevention, access to drugs and referral services to hospital and community facilities.

NNAs should be part of an expanded response to mobilise the nursing workforce for prevention, counselling, care and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
ICN/99/10

For further information please contact
ICN at

References
International Council of Nurses (1996), Reducing the Impact of HIV/AIDS in Nursing/Midwifery Personnel, ICN, Geneva.
UNAIDS, WHO (1998), Report on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, June 1998, UNAIDS/98.10-WHO/EMC/VIR/98.2-WHO/ASD/98.2.
www.UNAIDS.ch
www.WHO.ch

version française versión española

© 1899 International Council of Nurses (ICN) Copying, downloading
and distribution of material from the ICN web page is permitted as long
as credit in print is given and that the material will not be used for
commercial or for-profit purposes without permission.