Boston University Do Not Feed the Monkeys Game Critique

Abey Hernandez Marin

Objectives

After completing this weeks’ readings, I have selected three important topics, listed as objectives by Health People 2030:

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Heart Disease and Stroke

Diabetes

Objective No. 1- Sexually Transmitted Infections: Description and Importance

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are defined as conditions that can be transferred from one person to another through any type of sexual contact. Those are sometimes referred to as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) since they involve the transmission of a disease-causing organism from one person to another during sexual activity (Deresinski 2019). One example that should be taken in consideration when weighing the importance of this topic is the number of new HIV infections within the US stabilizing over the last few years, improvements in antiretroviral therapy and patient longevity have resulted in a significant increase in the number of Americans older than the age of 50 years living with HIV; however, there is a significant number of new infections every year, including pregnant women and teenagers (Statz et al., 2021).

STIs Leading to Secondary Conditions and Complications

Following the same example cited: HIV, several known complications are resulting from this condition, but the most commons are Opportunistic infections, an illness that exists more frequently and is more severe in people with HIV. In HIV/AIDS patients, opportunistic infections still cause morbidity and mortality even after the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (Tewachew et al., 2021).

Criteria Used to Understand The Risk of Developing Such Conditions or Complications

Following the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization guidelines can be considered the most important criteria to understand the risks of opportunistic infections. Regular/scheduled labs to measure cell counts like CD4 and strict compliance with re-viral medication are relevant examples of preventing these conditions. A consistent, well-developed plan of care will provide a better quality of life for people living with HIV (Capriotti & Kirkman, 2021).

References

Capriotti, T., & Kirkman, D. (2021). Update on HIV Infection and Efficacy of Preventive Treatment. Medsurg Nursing, 30(1), 41-47,60. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/update…

Deresinski, S. (2019). Sexually Transmitted Diseases in the United States — Not a Happy Picture. Infectious Disease Alert, 39(2) https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/sexually-t…

Statz, M., Ware, D., Perry, N., Huebner, D., Cox, C., Brown, A., Meanley, S., Haberlen, S., Egan, J., Brennan, M., Teplin, L. A., Bolan, R., M, R. F., & Plankey, M. (2021). Primary and secondary supportive partnerships among HIV-positive and HIV-negative middle-aged and older gay men. PLoSOne, 16(2) http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245863

Tewachew, A. S., Wassie, N. M., Mekuria, A. D., & Amare, Y. E. (2021). Determinants of Opportunistic Infections Among HIV-Positive Patients on HAART in Debre Berhan Referral Hospital, North Shoa Zone, Ethiopia, 2020: A Case–Control Study. HIV/AIDS : Research and Palliative Care, 13, 337-347. http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/HIV.S29866

Reply

Manuel Ariel Garcia Periu

11 hours ago, at 10:33 PM

Manuel. Garcia Periu

The primary role of the Healthy People initiative is to improve health indicators in the United States (US). Every ten years, the initiative sets projections based on health conditions affecting Americans and tackles them effectively. There are several health problems in the United States. However, three topics have been selected as the most prevalent in many communities for this assignment. The first topic is addiction, followed by dementia, while the third one is mental health and disorders.

Addiction is a significant public health problem of concern across the US that the Healthy People initiative needs to address. According to Grifell and Hart (2018) addiction is the compulsive physiological urge that forces someone on drugs to constantly feel the need to use substances like alcohol, narcotics, and heroin. Consequently, the desire becomes a perpetual habit. Addiction is subsequently caused by changes in the thinking and behaviors of the drug user. In most cases, an addicted user experiences withdrawal as the primary symptom of addiction. Research shows that more than 20 million people in the US suffer from drug and substance addiction, a disorder that majorly goes untreated. In this context, the Healthy People program is also focusing on reducing hard drug addictions by 2030. The topic is essential in preventing drug and substance consumption and helps in treating addicts nationwide. Therefore, the objectives related to addiction are critical in curbing substance abuse in America and restoring health to those already affected.

Individuals experiencing drug and substance disorders are prone to several secondary conditions. Research shows that addicts are linked to a number of health problems, and when an overdose is achieved, deaths occur. Drug and substance addiction will lead to secondary conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory problems, kidney damage, liver diseases, increased heart rate, and insomnia (Smith & Hiller, 2021). Furthermore, addiction will lead to an increased number of deaths due to high levels of opioid consumption. The observed secondary health problems due to addiction create a public health crisis of concern that Healthy People 2030 needs to address.

References

and Sustainability of Community and Lay Health Worker Programs in Lower-Income Countries: A Systematic Review. PloS one, 12(1), e0170217. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0170217