1 Running head: HOW COSTLY IS HIV/AIDS TO SOCIETY?

How Costly is HIV/AIDS to Society? Elizabeth L. Riley University of Texas at El Paso

2 HOW COSTLY IS HIV/AIDS TO SOCIETY?

Abstract There are about 3.4 million people infected with HIV/AIDS in America. This statistic gets this reader to notice how much of an issue this disease has become since the 1980s. Due to advances in medical care people living with HIV/AIDS are starting to outlive the past life-expectancies. With the life-expectancy of HIV/AIDS increasing so has the cost of the medications and treatments for HIVAIDS. With about half of the people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS not receiving any regular medical health care, the cost of HIV/AIDS treatments can become a financial problem for people that cant afford it. This has become a growing issue in the United States and around the world. Keywords: HIV/AIDs, cost, medical care, and financial problem

3 HOW COSTLY IS HIV/AIDS TO SOCIETY?

How Costly is HIV/AIDS to Society? In the El Paso County alone there are about 1,475 cases of HIV/AIDS. In the U.S. entirely there are about 1.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS. Global statistics show that there are about 33.4 million people infected with this disease worldwide. Ever year there are about 50,000 Americans that become newly infected with this disease. One out of five Americans living with HIV/AIDS arent even aware of their infection. Certain groups are reported to have higher risks of catching this infection. These groups include homosexuals, bisexuals, and injection drug users. Due to medical advances the life expectancies of HIV/AIDS patients today are outliving the HIV/AIDS patients from the past years. The cost of the HIV/AIDS treatments has increased significantly over the years. Today the estimated lifetime cost of HIV/AIDS is about half a million dollars. About half of the people living with HIV/AIDS dont receive any type of medical insurance to help pay for their HIV/AIDS medications. This has become an important and difficult problem around the world.

Figure 1. Map of number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa and Asia In low and middle income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, are reported to have the most cases of HIV/AIDS. This is due to the insufficient funds for health and medical

4 HOW COSTLY IS HIV/AIDS TO SOCIETY?

care. This also ties back into the issue that most people in these low and middle income countries cant afford to pay for the treatments and medications for HIV/AIDS. Without any help to prevent and treat this disease most of the people infected will die or pass the infection around, due to the lack of knowledge of their infection. History of HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS first arose around 1981, when five previously healthy, gay men were infected with a lung infection in Los Angeles. They also had contracted another unusual infection. Within days of the Los Angeles press releasing the report, doctors across the U.S. then started to flood the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention with reports of similar cases. In January of 1982, the first American AIDS clinic was established. Then later that year the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention uses the term AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) to describe the infection. In 1985, the U.S. Congress advocates $7 million for AIDS research. During this year, at least one HIV case was reported in every region around the world. After realizing that it was becoming an issue for individuals to pay for their medications, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration grants $20 million for HIV care and treatments. In many states it was their first involvement in HIV treatment and care. There were many more U.S. government involvements that helped with the spread and cost of HIV/AIDS. Today the cost of HIV/AIDS for individuals has increased significantly due to the amount of medication and care needed for survival. Throughout the years many programs and associations have been established to help ease the struggle of the cost of HIV/AIDS medical expenses. Signs and Symptoms of HIV/AIDS

5 HOW COSTLY IS HIV/AIDS TO SOCIETY?

There are many people that when first infected dont have any signs or symptoms of the infection. After two to four weeks of being infected the person will start to feel cold or flu like symptoms. Some of these symptoms include: fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, chills and night sweats. Many people described it as feeling like the worst flu ever. Some people even get ulcers in the mouth and swollen lymph nodes. After the initial infection, in a period called chronic or latency phase the virus becomes less active in the body. This period can last up to ten years. Usually the people that die from HIV/AIDS dont die from the infection itself, but die from other infections or viruses that they might contract. Due to the AIDS virus their immune systems arent strong enough to cope and fight the contracted sicknesses. HIV/AIDS can be contracted many ways. These ways include: sexual contact, through pregnancy, breast feeding, injection drug use, occupational exposure, blood transfusion, and organ transplant. During sexual contact bodily fluids are exchanged. If the AIDS infection is present the infection will be transmitted. When a pregnant mother is infected with HIV/AIDS, the mother can transmit the infection through childbirth and breastfeeding. Injection drug use increases the chances of contracting the AIDS infection. The infection is passed through used needles that are shared among drug users. Some occupations run a risk of contracting HIV while at work. Health care providers have the highest risk of contracting the virus this way. Even though contracting HIV/AIDS through organ transplants are rare in the U.S. this is a bigger risk in low and middle income countries. The U.S. government has made a huge progress in providing help and information about preventing and controlling the spread of this deadly virus. There are many AIDS hotlines that you can call for information and help with coping with the disease. There are thousands of clinics in the U.S. where you can get free HIV/AIDS tests and these HIV/AIDS tests have

6 HOW COSTLY IS HIV/AIDS TO SOCIETY?

become available in over the counter medication stores. Usually these take-home tests are inexpensive and have become very easy to use. There are also awareness groups and conventions that help spread the knowledge about how the HIV/AIDS virus can be contracted and how contraction can be prevented. Conclusion Even though many progresses have been made in spreading knowledge about prevention and contraction of the AIDS infection, the help to pay for these treatments lags behind. Many people diagnosed with this disease struggle to pay for their medications. Without help from the U.S. government it is almost impossible to pay for the medication needed to for a HIV/AIDS patients survival. With HIV/AIDS patients having to pay about $2,000 monthly, the low-income patients in the U.S. rely on government programs and associations to help pay for most of their treatments and medical care. One major medical insurance that helps to pay for HIV/AIDS treatments and care is the Aids Drug Assistant Program. Medicare and Medicaid are other medical insurances that help many AIDS patients pay for their medical expenses. The Texas HIV Medication Program provides life-sustaining medications to low-income Texans through the Department of State Health Services. Other medical associations that help HIVAIDS patients pay for their costly treatments and care include: the Veterans Affairs, Patient Assistance Programs, and Partnership for Prescription Assistance Programs. In low and middle income countries the struggle for HIV/AIDS patients to pay for their medical expenses is much greater than in the U.S., it is also much more difficult for these low and middle income patients to receive government help in paying for their treatments. The key to help these countries with the struggle would be to provide them with resources containing

7 HOW COSTLY IS HIV/AIDS TO SOCIETY?

knowledge about the prevention and contraction of HIV/AIDS. The knowledge these people receive will help reduce the spread of this infection, therefore reducing the cost of HIV/AIDS nationally.

8 HOW COSTLY IS HIV/AIDS TO SOCIETY?

Reference Page Aids.gov. (n.d.) Retrieved November 9, 2013, from http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids101/global-statistics/

HIV testing in El Paso. (n.d.) Retrieved November 9, 2013, from http://www.elpasohivtesting.com/el+paso-hiv-statistics

Jessica Camille Aguirre, J.A. (2012). Cost Of Treatment Still A Challenge For HIV Patients In U.S. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/27/157499134/cost-of-treatment-still-achallenge-for-hiv-patients-in-u-s

Texas HIV/AIDS Coalition (n.d.) Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.texashiv.org/issues

How To Pay For HIV Treatment and Medications (n.d.) Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.hivpositivemagazine.com/how_to_pay_2011.html