SEXH5410 - Sexual Health Promotion

   

Added on  2020-03-01

11 Pages2823 Words97 Views
Running head: SEXUAL HEALTH PROMOTIONSexual health promotionStudents’ NameAffiliate Institution
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SEXUAL HEALTH PROMOTION 2IntroductionThis paper explores the Theory of Behaviour Change with a view to increasing adherenceto antiretroviral medication for the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) within three specific populations. The target populations chosen include men who have sex with men (MSM), prisoners, sex workers, and youth below 29 years old. Theories of Behavior Change include the Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive (or Learning) Theory, Theory of Reasoned Action, and Stages of Change Modelwill provide the framework for discussion. Behavior changetheory identifies specific strategies that enable individuals to identify behaviours that place them at risk, and strategies to adopt healthier behaviors (Longmire-Avital B, Golub A, & Parsons ,1). Increasing the adherence to HIV medicationAdherence is defined as taking the correct dose of a prescribed medication at the recommended time (1).In other words, HIV-infected patients need to adhere to the proscribed HIV medication that aims at ensuring enough level of drug within the body at all times. It is then that the body will be able to successfully halt the replication of HIV and suppress the viral load. In other words, effective treatment of HIV using antiretroviral therapy (ART) is measured by an individual having an undetectable HIV viral load and CD4 levels above 500 cells/mm3. (Drug resistance may occur within the blood of the patient in case the drug level in the blood goes below the recommended level (MacDonell, Jacques-Tiura, Naar, & Fernandez (2). The same study denotes that in case HIV drug resistance occur, the drugs used may fail to work properly hence limiting the future of treatment options for the patient. The behavior may as well be transmitted to other HIV-infected individuals making it harder for effective management of otherinfections in the body. Strict adherence to the use of HIV medication is essential to a sustained
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SEXUAL HEALTH PROMOTION 3HIV suppression, overall health improvement, reduction in the risk of drug resistance, survival and quality of life as well as a decrease in the transmission of the disease Mountain et al (13). Quinn, Sanders, and Petroll (3) denote that poor adherence is the primary cause of therapeutic failure. The same study denotes that the adherence to ART medication is vital and a primary determinant of long-term outcome in patients living with HIV. For most chronic illnesses such ashypertension or diabetes, the regimens of drugs remain effective even when treatment is resumedafter a period of interruption. For HIV infection, however, loss of virologic control due to lack of sufficient ARV load in the blood can result in the emergence of drug resistance as well as the loss of future treatment options. Therefore, ost of the patients initiating Antiretroviral Therapy orare taking therapy can maintain a consistent level of adherence depending on the resultant viral suppression, improved clinical outcomes, and CD4 recovery as pointed out by Giannattasio, Albano, and Guarino (4). Other patients, however, tend to have poor adherence from experience periodic lapses or onset of the treatment process and over the lifelong process of treatment. As a result, the identification of patients with adherence-related challenges who need attention and implementation of appropriate strategies that can help them in enhancing adherence is an essential role of every member of the treatment team. From a patients’ perspective, Naar-King et al. (7) denote that nonadherence is a consequence of behavioral, psychosocial, and structural barriers. These include high alcohol consumption level– subjective), mental illness, low health literacy, stressful life events, low social support, and stigma among others. It is hence clear why the behavioral theory postulates that the behavior of an individual is influenced by the environment which in turn influences the healthy decision-making and action of the individual. In a systematic study, Hussen et al. (6) denote that adherence to HIV medication (tends to be) influenced by factors such as prescribed
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SEXUAL HEALTH PROMOTION 4regime, the social situation of the individual, and patient-provider relationship. It is, however, essential to understand that information alone is not sufficient in ensuring a high level of adherence as patients also require being motivated to both initiate and maintain therapy.Theory of Behavior ChangeReducing the burden of diseases is a global health goal that requires the adoption of interdisciplinary perspectives. It is diseases and injuries whether inflicted by others, self-afflicted, or unintentional are all destructive, hence should be prevented to maintain a healthy body as pointed out by Kurti et al. (8). Therefore, engaging in behaviors which lead to violence and injuries such as rape and drug abuse can lead to disease infection and spread, hence is amenable to various preventive interventions. Theory of Behavior Change adoption is an essential part of a comprehensive disease prevention, management, and control.Many studies on the adoption of the Theory of Behavior Change denote that behavioral theory, behavioral science application to injury prevention, disease management, and health awareness lagged behind other approaches towards the end of 20th century (1). Despite the recognition of the theory by medical professionals of the importance of behavioral skills on chronic disease management and control, behavioral solutions to managing these diseases were deemphasized for a long time. Nokes et al. (9) point out that scholarly attention has been given toevaluating and understanding the determinants of HIV management and control as well as how to initiate and sustain HIV control, management, and prevention such as proper adherence to HIV medication. Kurti et al. (8) report that more research needs to be done to demonstrate the positive impact of adopting the knowledge of theory of behavior change to sex workers,
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