The Control of Hiv/Aids in Denmark, Germany, Poland, and the United States
The Control Of HIV/AIDS in Denmark, Germany, Poland, and the United States
Across the world, countries have been attempting to implement the most effective measures for controlling dangerous and widespread epidemics. These epidemics are a threat to the livelihood and growth of any country because they have the capacity to destroy entire populations and devastate economies and cultures alike. One of the most well known epidemics of our time is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This epidemic has showed no discrimination in who it attacks, with 33.3 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS and 1.8 million annual deaths due to AIDS (HIV and AIDS Statistics From Around the World). Although a large majority of the cases of HIV/AIDS are found in sub Saharan Africa, this epidemic is also prevalent to a lesser degree in Denmark, Germany, Poland, and the United States. These countries share many similarities, yet vary in a number of ways as well. How do the similarities and differences between these four countries impact and shape each country’s individual programs and measures used to control epidemics, more specifically the HIV/AIDS epidemic? By examining Denmark, Germany, Poland and the United States independently of one another it will become apparent how each country may differ or relate to each other in regards to their methods of dealing with epidemic control. To begin the analysis of health care systems and their methods of epidemic control, Denmark will be the first country investigated. Denmark’s universal health care system has retained the same basic structure since the early 1970’s (Denmark – Health). Therefore, the processes in which epidemic control are implemented will be observed from the 1970’s onward. According to statistics from 1999, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS was estimated at 4,300, and deaths from AIDS that year were estimated at less than 100. HIV prevalence was
Across the world, countries have been attempting to implement the most effective measures for controlling dangerous and widespread epidemics. These epidemics are a threat to the livelihood and growth of any country because they have the capacity to destroy entire populations and devastate economies and cultures alike. One of the most well known epidemics of our time is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This epidemic has showed no discrimination in who it attacks, with 33.3 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS and 1.8 million annual deaths due to AIDS (HIV and AIDS Statistics From Around the World). Although a large majority of the cases of HIV/AIDS are found in sub Saharan Africa, this epidemic is also prevalent to a lesser degree in Denmark, Germany, Poland, and the United States. These countries share many similarities, yet vary in a number of ways as well. How do the similarities and differences between these four countries impact and shape each country’s individual programs and measures used to control epidemics, more specifically the HIV/AIDS epidemic? By examining Denmark, Germany, Poland and the United States independently of one another it will become apparent how each country may differ or relate to each other in regards to their methods of dealing with epidemic control. To begin the analysis of health care systems and their methods of epidemic control, Denmark will be the first country investigated. Denmark’s universal health care system has retained the same basic structure since the early 1970’s (Denmark – Health). Therefore, the processes in which epidemic control are implemented will be observed from the 1970’s onward. According to statistics from 1999, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS was estimated at 4,300, and deaths from AIDS that year were estimated at less than 100. HIV prevalence was
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