[DOWNLOAD] ~ Eradicating Perinatal HIV Transmission is Possible: A Model for Social Work Practitioners (Practice Forum) (Report) by Health and Social Work ~ eBook PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Eradicating Perinatal HIV Transmission is Possible: A Model for Social Work Practitioners (Practice Forum) (Report)
- Author : Health and Social Work
- Release Date : January 01, 2009
- Genre: Health & Fitness,Books,Health, Mind & Body,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 211 KB
Description
Since 1994, medical research has shown that zidovudine, given to HIV-seropositive women during pregnancy and their newborns, reduced the risk of perinatal HIV transmission (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2007; Connor et al., 1994). Over the past decade, the number of perinatally acquired AIDS cases has steadily decreased (CDC, 2007). Yet perinatal HIV transmission remains the most common route of HIV in children (CDC, 2007). Perinatal transmission is of great concern for Hispanic and African American communities. Of the people living with HIV/AIDS who were perinatally infected, 20 percent were Hispanic or Latino, and 66 percent were African American (CDC, 2007). Thus, identifying HIV-positive pregnant women may allow health care professionals to administer the necessary treatment and provide services needed to prevent an unborn baby from having a seropositive status. Notwithstanding that prevention efforts have had major success, the continued incidence of perinatally acquired AIDS among infants documents ongoing perinatal transmission and underscores the need for strategies to ensure that women receive HIV counseling and voluntary testing during prenatal care. Social work practitioners are in a pivotal position to provide education to women of childbearing age about the importance of HIV testing during prenatal care. This column introduces perinatal HIV transmission health knowledge and a comprehensive model that may be useful for social work practitioners to address this issue with clients and educate staff who work with women of childbearing age to help relieve the anxiety and stress of getting tested.