Reproductive and Healthcare Inequality

Running Head : Inequality

Inequality

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College /University

Access to health care is highly important these days , with the presence of deadly diseases that threaten the lives of individuals , most especially children and women . The current situation of children and women in Africa is alarming , with a high percentage of the female population diagnosed with HIV /AIDS . The study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC ) revealed that HIV is one of the five major causes of fatality in the entire women population around the world (CDC

, 2008a ) The staggering statistics in the cases of HIV /AIDS affliction in Southern Africa reveals that even those who are trying to provide medical assistance and health education are affected by the disease (Wines LaFraniere , 2004 ) In the United States , almost half of the population with HIV /AIDS is African Americans . This is in comparison with records of women belonging to different ethnic backgrounds (CDC , 2008b

In two reports released by CDC , the organization identified risk factors involved with the growing number of people afflicted with the disease . These risk factors are the causes why it is difficult to prevent the proliferation of the HIV /AIDS virus . According to the first report by CDC tackling HIV /AIDS in women , the risk factors and barriers to the prevention of the said disease include age (the age bracket of women afflicted with the disease ranges from 15-39 , irresponsibility of one 's partner to acknowledge risk factors (recklessness , bisexuality heterosexual risk factors (lack of knowledge , drug use , alcohol use etc , vulnerability to the disease and the transfer of the disease through sexual means , substance use (the use of injection socioeconomic issues (lack of access to quality health care services differences in race and ethnicity , and other factors (CDC , 2008a

The second report of CDC which deals with the occurrence of HIV /AIDS in the African American population , cites the following risk factors or barriers to prevention : sexual factors (reckless sexual engagement unknown affliction to an individual of the disease , substance use (the use of injection , lack of information and awareness , sexually transmitted diseases , concealment of homosexuality , and socioeconomic issues (CDC , 2008b

With these facts in mind , the question is why does the population of women who acquire , suffer , and die from HIV /AIDS increase ? Why is there difficulty in the prevention of the occurrence of such diseases ? The health care community plays the biggest role in answering this question and also has the most extensive means or capacity to solve this problem Along with the health care community , there are other stakeholders who are held responsible to overlook the situation and see what needs to be done in to lessen the occurrence of women , and people in general who acquire HIV /AIDS that eventually leads to their death . These stakeholders include religious institutions , educational institutions non-government organizations who deal specifically with health and information dissemination issues , the government , and the community , and just anyone who have the means and capability of helping

The...