Social Determinants of Health and HIV/AIDS in the USA and Somalia

This report investigates the profound impact of social determinants of health, including healthcare systems, gender, and sexuality, on women affected by HIV/AIDS in the USA and Somalia. It highlights the disparities in access to care, the influence of societal stigmas, and the challenges posed by gender inequality. The report analyzes the healthcare infrastructure, government strategies, and the role of organizations like the WHO in addressing the epidemic. It explores the impact of gender-based violence, discrimination, and economic factors on women's vulnerability to HIV. Furthermore, it discusses societal changes needed to combat the epidemic, emphasizing the importance of awareness campaigns, education, and empowerment programs. The report concludes by underscoring the vulnerability of HIV-infected women and calls for comprehensive interventions to improve their lives, particularly in resource-constrained settings like Somalia, while acknowledging the ongoing challenges even in developed countries like the USA.

RUNNING HEAD: THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF
HEALTH ON WOMEN IN TWO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
Name of the Students:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Executive summary:
AIDS is one of the most infected diseases in this world. Most of the countries are trying to
eliminate this disease. There are some vulnerable groups who suffered from various other
social determinants. In this paper women as a socially vulnerable group is portrayed. Those
women affected with HIV virus face some problem by social determinants like health care
and gender and sexuality. The scenario of HIV affected women from Somalia and the USA
are analyzed in this paper by analyzing the social determinants like health care and gender
and sexuality.

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Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................3
Impact of social determinants....................................................................................................3
The impact of the health care system on women of the USA:...................................................4
The impact of the health care system in Somalia:......................................................................4
The impact of gender and sexuality on women in the USA:.....................................................5
The impact of gender and sexuality on women in Somalia:......................................................6
Change of society to deal with this epidemic:...........................................................................6
Conclusion:................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction:
Human immunodeficiency virus or HIV is a sexually transmitted infection and the
reason for HIV infection. The most advanced stage of this infection is acquired immune
deficiency syndrome or AIDS. This paper will focus on the impact of social determinants like
gender and sexuality and health care system on women in the USA and Somalia. This paper
will analyze this issue through the impact of social determinants like health care system and
gender and sexuality in Somalia and the USA, change of society of these two countries to
deal this issue, and conclusion.
In the USA, 1.2 million people are affected by HIV and that is 3.5% of this global
disease ("U.S. Statistics", 2019). One woman in every four people with this disease is
suffering from this disease. Women from the USA acquire this virus from having sex with a
male person. Being a first world country, the USA is facing this problem. On the other hand,
in Somalia, 26000 people are living with this disease. Among these people 51% are women.
The reason for increasing the number of HIV affected people in Somalia are ignorance, fear
of stigmatization and cultural barriers. Women are one of the important parts of the most
vulnerable groups affected by this disease. Health care system, gender and sexuality create an
impact on this vulnerable group.
Impact of social determinants:
Social determinants like health care and gender have a large amount of impact on
women. The quality of life of HIV affected people can be improved by the health service
system. HIV affected people need proper care from the health service system. Another
important social determinant is gender and sexuality. The role of discrimination and gender

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inequality against women create a critical situation. To reverse this epidemic women
empowerment is important.
The impact of the health care system on women of the USA:
In 1981, a woman with AIDS was first time reported in the USA. After that, the
number has been increasing cautiously. According to the U.S.Statistics, 38739 Americans
received HIV treatment. The yearly number of new HIV treatment persisted stable from 2016
to 2018 because of the proper health care system. Former President Obama created the first
national HIV/AIDS Strategy. This strategy was updated in 2015 and it will be followed until
2020. Reduced the number of new HIV infections, easily accessible and improved health care
for HIV affected people, reducing HIV-related inequality, and create a system in response to
this epidemic. President Trump fixed a ten years goal to eliminate this epidemic. The
government will focus to reduce 75% of new HIV infection in the first five years and at least
a reduction of 90 % in ten years. Key strategies of the new plan by Trump are diagnosing,
treating, protecting, and responding. The yearly number of new HIV infections decreased
among women (Zanoni & Mayer, 2014).
The impact of the health care system in Somalia:
Two-thirds of HIV infected people live in this part of this earth. Approximately 35000
people from Somalia are affected by HIV. In 2014, Somaliland has approximately 9531
people, affected with HIV, Southcentral has approximately 16363 and Puntland has 3832
number of people with HIV infections. According to the latest survey, 15137 women are
affected by HIV. 1167 new women are affected by HIV (United Nations, 2015). In
Somalia, the HIV epidemic is an urgent challenge in the health service system. Bur the
problem is Somalia is an undeveloped country. The government of Somalia has neither a

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sufficient amount of money nor a proper health care system. Because of this, HIV infected
women from Somalia do not get proper treatment. World Health Organizations are trying
their best to support Somalia. This organization provides funding to this country to create a
proper health care system, which is very much needed for the people of this country. With the
help of World Health Organizations, the government of Somalia is using antiretroviral
therapy to prevent and treatment of HIV infected people. The government is trying to follow
the Test and Treat approach.
The impact of gender and sexuality on women in the USA:
Male superiority over sexuality and gender inequality create a deep impact on HIC
infected women in all over the world. Gender issues create an impact on society, economy,
and growth of health of the population. Women affected with HIV faces several problems
such as gender inequality, discrimination against the woman, financially dependence on the
male person. Researchers recognized that gender and sexuality play a very important role in
the vulnerability to AIDS. In every part of this world this issue creates, a problematic
situation HIV affected women. In the USA, a young woman in the age group of 13 to
24.young black, and Latina women are affected mostly with HIV virus. These girls and
women face a systematic barrier, which put them in huge danger. Like every other country,
women from the USA earn less amount of money than the income of man. One in every eight
women in the USA remains uninsured after the affordable care act implementation. Those
women from the USA concerned about the expenditure to continue the treatment. Another
thing is stigma related to sexuality enhance the risk of HIV for the young girl and women
from the USA. Stigma related to HIV or AIDS is creating a barrier to the efforts of HIV
prevention and creating a negative impact on the health service system. To eliminate new

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HIV infections, the government of the USA should focus on increasing the awareness of this
epidemic.
The impact of gender and sexuality on women in Somalia:
The problem of gender inequality is present in Somalia. Young women and girls from
Somalia are forced into sex trafficking, and sex trade, which increased the new HIV infection
risk. After involving with the sex trade, the women increased the risk of HIV, other physical
and mental issues, violence, and drug use. Women from Somalia are facing these problems.
Women from Somalia face pressure and violence. It does not matter whether it is a
consensual relationship or not. The government should focus on woman safety and education.
But it is the truth that Somalia is an under-developed country. So it is difficult for them to
deal with this situation. But to reduce the new HIV infections, World Health Organizations
are helping the government of Somalia (Gokengin et al. 2016).
Change of society to deal with this epidemic:
AIDS is the most destructive infections. While dealing with this infection, women are
trapped between financial and social obstacles. Mental health is very much important to cure
any illness. However, women with HIV infections are in stigma. They feel guilty and shame
full. These mental states are not helpful to cure the problem. Pregnant women with HIV
infection, face depression and suicide thought. This environment leads to economical,
physical, and psychological effects on HIV infected women’s body. Discrimination against
HIV infected people is common in any society. Even in the USA, women affected with the
HIV virus are discriminated by the society. This approach to HIV affected women is not
acceptable. Women from the USA are suffering from prejudice, rejection, fear, and

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discrimination. The USA government enforces the law to prohibit housing discrimination
depending upon HIV infected status (Lather, 2018).
Somalia is an under-developed and conservative country. women with HIV infection
feel the pressure of stigma. Women experienced discrimination from the beginning. It can be
said that after the women tested positive, the discrimination started. Women affected with
HIV virus felt that being HIV infected is a crime. They are getting their punishment as they
are discriminated by their own family. Leaving their own family, they have to stay alone.
They felt lonely. Those women affected with HIV virus leave their own family because they
are unable to change the perception that they would spread the disease in the family. The
main problem is there is no awareness in the society of Somalia. They are not properly
educated. Those women need to get women empowerment. The government should focus on
the campaign to increase awareness. These types of awareness campaign will help to improve
the thought and environment of society. That will be helpful for HIV affected women from
Somalia. With the help of World Health Organizations, the government of Somalia should
create a proper health care system. Besides, of it, the government should focus on the
education and awareness program. To create a better world for the women affected by the
HIV virus, the government should develop the present scenario (Kulane et al. 2017).
Conclusion:
There are several vulnerable groups, like women, children, men who have sex with
men, sex workers, and injecting drug users, who are HIV infected. Social determinants like
economics, gender and sexuality, health care system, living environment, discrimination, and
stigma create problems for them. Therefore, in conclusion, it can be said that women, who
are HIV infected, are one of the most vulnerable groups. But in comparison with the USA,

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Somalia is one of the worst places for HIV-effected women. Though the USA is one of the
most developed countries in this world, the situation of HIV affected women is not good.

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References:
Gökengin, D., Doroudi, F., Tohme, J., Collins, B., & Madani, N. (2016). HIV/AIDS: trends in the
Middle East and North Africa region. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 44, 66-73.
Kulane, A., Owuor, J., Sematimba, D., Abdulahi, S., Yusuf, H., & Mohamed, L. (2017). Access to
HIV care and resilience in a long-term conflict setting: a qualitative assessment of the
experiences of living with diagnosed HIV in Mogadishu, Somali. International journal of
environmental research and public health, 14(7), 721.
Lather, P. A. (2018). Troubling the angels: Women living with HIV/AIDS. Routledge.
U.S. Statistics. (2019). Retrieved 9 August 2019, from
https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics
United Nations. (2015). Progress report for Somali HIV and AIDS Response 2014. Retrieved
from http://Gökengin, D., Doroudi, F., Tohme, J., Collins, B., & Madani, N. (2016).
HIV/AIDS: trends in the Middle East and North Africa region. International Journal
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Zanoni, B. C., & Mayer, K. H. (2014). The adolescent and young adult HIV cascade of care
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