This essay will focus on the health condition of (HIV) Human immunodeficiency virus and its impact on an individual’s wellbeing.
A number of key dictionary definitions will follow. According to the Oxford Dictionaries (2013) Health is defined as “A person’s medical and physical condition”. HIV is human immunodeficiency virus, a retrovirus which causes Aids. Oxford dictionaries (2013). These definitions refer to the Medical Model of health which focuses on the presence of disease and therefore the physical condition of the individual. According to Dr.David Zigmond (2ndmay 2010) The Medical Model assumes a simple mechanical view of illness and the body it occurs in.
The impact HIV and Aids has on an individual’s wellbeing
The HIV virus attacks the immune system and weakens the ability to fight off infections and disease. According to Avert.org (2012) in the last 30 years 35,493 people between the ages of 20-30 were diagnosed with HIV in the UK (appendix 1). There are a variety of ways that the Aids virus can be contracted. According to the Health protection agency (2012), 95% of those with HIV contracted the virus through sexual contact. The remaining 5% by using infected needles or transmission from mother to baby, before or during birth, or by breastfeeding. According to BBC news (2013) there are around 90,000 people living with HIV in England. One person in four does not know they have the virus therefore the actual numbers cannot be determined. According to the BBC news (24th April 2013) someone, somewhere in the UK is diagnosed with HIV every 90 minutes. Once an individual has contracted the HIV virus, emotionally it may be very difficult to come to terms and every individual will react differently. There are many support groups and HIV clinics that can provide you with counselling and information so that you can understand and discuss the condition all around