Sexually Transmitted Blood Borne Virus: Prevalence, Vulnerable Groups, And The Role Of Nurses In Health Promotion

Vulnerable Group

This is referred to the viruses which are sexually transferred are being referred to as sexually transmitted blood borne virus.

Vulnerable Group

• Homosexual people and bisexual people or the individuals who has sex with multiple number of partners (Olson-chen, balaram & Hackney, 2018, pp.812-821). Some of the example include hepatitis B, HIV and chlamydia.
• Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in Australia, infecting people between the age of 15 to 20 years (Bryan et al., 2019, pp.1891-1898).
• Infects 442 people per 100,000, which earlier was 72 people per 100,00.
• 71% of number are kids between 15 to 25 years (Darville et al., 2019, pp.e13103).
• In past few years, there have been 30 percent rise in the number of infected individual.

Population

It is estimated that every day more than 1 million STIs are acquired globally. Moreover, the estimation is of 374 million new infections every year. One of every 4 of these infections are gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis (World Health Organization, 2019). In Australia, chlamydia is a common infection with approximately 97000 men and women being diagnosed with it per year (Health Direct, 2019). The cases were stable from 2011 to 2015, however, it increased by 13% between 2015 and 2017. In 2017, the prevalence was higher among women (441.8 per 100000) in comparison to men (349.9 per 100000). Geographically, from 2013-2017, the cases decreased by 5% in outer an inner regional area while in major cities it increased by 20% (Australian Government Department of Health, 2018).

Community

In 2017, the prevalence of chlamydia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population was 2.8 times (1193.9 per 100000) in comparison to the non-indigenous population (427 per 100000). This prevalence increases to 5 times higher in remote areas. Additionally, the disease prevalence is 3.8 times higher in women in the age group of 15-19 and 2.7 times higher in women in the age group of 20-29 in the indigenous community in comparison to the non-indigenous community (Australian Government Department of Health, 2018). Studies show that the risk factors for indigenous people (both men and women) for chlamydia include being heterosexual and younger in age (O’Connor et al., 2014).

Community

The main reasons behind higher prevalence of STIs in Aboriginals include (1) the barrier of language in accessing healthcare services; (2) lack of education to know and ask the right questions; (3) less frequent visits of doctors and nurses and change of staff owing to which Aboriginals might feel embarrassed to share their stories repeatedly to different people; (4) lack of education and services in remote areas, 80% of STI cases in among Aboriginals are in remote areas; (5) difficulty to reach doctor and nurses regarding these issues for the stigma that is attached to visiting a sexual health clinic; and (6) small communities share close relationships, hence, it is possible that patients hesitate to visit clinics for a fear that the staff there knows them personally and their confidentiality would be broken (Jens Korff, Creative Spirits, 2019). This shows that there are language and cultural barriers involved in the care of Aboriginals with chlamydia. Additionally, the major impact of STIs like chlamydia can be on the women of the Aboriginal community since they might get blamed for the disease and consequential infertility. This may lead to divorce, abandonment, or violence.

Disease Prevalence

Role of nurse

The role of a nurse in preventing and reducing the prevalence of chlamydia among the Aboriginal community is that (1) they can educate people on the importance of safe sex and help to reduce the stigma around this topic; (2) nurses are skilled at communication, they can communicate with youngsters and help them reach out to them more freely; (3) they can practice cultural responsiveness to help Aboriginals be more open and feel respected; (4) involve patients from aboriginal communities in decisions regarding their healthcare to increase their trust in the healthcare system and give them more access to care (Durey et al., 2016).

To reduce the social impact on aboriginal women, nurses can (1) provide the victimized women with a safe and comfortable environment and develop with them a mutually respectable and confidential relationship; (2) provide psychological support to the women; (3) try to communicate with the family and help them see rationale; and (4) help the women voice her feelings, fear, concerns and how she copes with them (Jiménez-Rodríguez et al., 2020).

Population

The main causes of rising chlamydia in Australia include an increase in diagnostic testing, an increase in online dating that ultimately increases people’s sexual network, and no or the wrong use of condoms; studies show that more than half of younger people who used condoms used it incorrectly (Callander, 2017). This shows that there is a need to increase people’s (especially youngsters) awareness of safe sex and the risk of STIs. The major impact can be seen on the younger population because they are at a higher risk of indulging in online dating and have incorrect or incomplete knowledge about protection.

Role of Nurse

Healthcare providers including nurses can help to decrease the burden of the infection by ensuring that they duly account for the sexual history of clients in their initial visit and perform routine preventive tests. If they notice any potential signs of an STD, they must discuss with their patients the 5Ps (practices, partners, protection, pregnancy prevention, and history of STDs). The role of the nurse is to educate patients regarding sexually transmitted diseases. Nurses can play a crucial role in increasing the screening for disease (Rowe, Newberry & Jnah, 2018, pp.438-445). Moreover, they can provide treatment and collaborate with various health care professionals to provide appropriate care (Tanfelde & Garfield, 2020, pp.19-26). Nurses can also help minimize the impact of social stigma by providing informed, confidential, and sensitive care, and by promoting sexual health. Essential medical care administrations are perceived as playing a focal part in sexual wellbeing.

Population

Nurses can encourage the testing of STDs among youngsters. They can educate them about the importance of indulging in safe sexual behaviour by being careful during online dating. They can also teach the population about the correct use of protection and contraception. They can increase awareness about the risks involved in having more than one sexual partner among youth.

SMART Goals

To educate people on the importance of indulging in safe sex and access healthcare services if need be and openly share their history and symptoms with the healthcare professionals.

• Specific- This goal is specific because it is purpose-driven. The purpose is to increase sexual awareness in youth to decrease the cases of STIs.
• Measurable- This goal is measurable because the results will reflect in the cases of chlamydia in Australia which will decrease and an increase in people accessing healthcare services.
• Attainable- It is possible to achieve this goal with the active participation of social workers and healthcare workers and support from the government.
• Realistic- The goal is realistic because education is a useful and common tool used by many as a measure to decrease the prevalence of diseases.
• Timely- The goal is not time-bound for this goal as the process of educating the population would be continuous.

To make the healthcare services more culturally responsive towards aboriginals, promote healthy sexual behaviors, increase the community’s capacity, and increase their access to health services.

• Specific- This goal is specific as it has the purpose to improve healthcare services for indigenous people by adopting culturally responsive practices along with making healthcare services more affordable and accessible to them.
• Measurable- the results of the goal can be measured by measuring the changes in the number of aboriginal people accessing healthcare services and their sexual health behaviours. Surveys can be conducted to ask whether they feel that healthcare services have been made better accessible to them or not.
• Attainable- The goal is attainable if proper training is given to nurses regarding culturally responsive practices and doctors and staff visit the indigenous area on a regular basis without time gaps. Moreover, reducing high-risk sexual behaviour is achievable through awareness drives.
• Realistic- The goal is realistic as a culturally responsive practice is a crucial part of a nurse’s job. Moreover, the goals to promote healthy sexual behaviour and increase the community’s capacity are achievable with the help of nurses, doctors, and social and government support.
• Timely- The goal is not time-bound as it involves a continuous process of training nurses along with continuous awareness drives and doctor visits to the Aboriginal community.

Strategies

• The goal of education can be achieved through organizing campaigns in various areas and making sexual awareness a mandatory part of the student curriculum. If the government fund these campaigns and social organizations are involved in achieving this, then the goal will be achieved.
• The goal to make healthcare services available and accessible to aboriginals can be achieved through making these services locally available, making culturally responsive training a mandatory part of nursing courses, and government policies making these services more affordable.

Resources

The resources needed for this task would be:

• Monetary funds
• Support of healthcare professionals
• Support of government
• Support of educational institutions
• Support of social organizations

Evaluation

The results of these goals can be evaluated through surveys to find out the change in cases of the disease in the population of Australia. There can be surveys to find out the change in the number of Aboriginals accessing the healthcare services and the level of their satisfaction with those services.

Reference list

Australian Government Department of Health (2018). Chlamydia. [online] Australian Government Department of Health. Available at: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/pregnancy-care-guidelines/part-g-targeted-maternal-health-tests/chlamydia.

Bryan, E.R., McLachlan, R.I., Rombauts, L., Katz, D.J., Yazdani, A., Bogoevski, K., Chang, C., Giles, M.L., Carey, A.J., Armitage, C.W., Trim, L.K., McLaughlin, E.A. and Beagley, K.W. (2019). Detection of chlamydia infection within human testicular biopsies. Human Reproduction (Oxford, England), [online] 34(10), pp.1891–1898. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31586185/.

Callander, D. (2017). Why are STIs on the rise in Australia? ABC News. [online] 15 Aug. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2017-08-16/why-are-stis-on-the-rise-in-australia/8774378.

Durey, A., McEvoy, S., Swift-Otero, V., Taylor, K., Katzenellenbogen, J. and Bessarab, D. (2016). Improving healthcare for Aboriginal Australians through effective engagement between community and health services. BMC Health Services Research, [online] 16(1), pp.1–13. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4936288/.

Health Direct (2019). Chlamydia. [online] Healthdirect.gov.au. Available at: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/chlamydia.

Jens Korff, Creative Spirits (2019). Aboriginal sexual health. [online] Creative Spirits. Available at: https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/health/aboriginal-sexual-health.

Jiménez-Rodríguez, D., Belmonte García, M.T., Santillán García, A., Plaza del Pino, F.J., Ponce-Valencia, A. and Arrogante, O. (2020). Nurse Training in Gender-Based Violence Using Simulated Nursing Video Consultations during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(22), p.8654.

O’Connor, C.C., Ali, H., Guy, R.J., Templeton, D.J., Fairley, C.K., Chen, M.Y., Dickson, B.M., Marshall, L.J., Grulich, A.E., Hellard, M.E., Kaldor, J.M., Donovan, B. and Ward, J.S. (2014). High chlamydia positivity rates in Indigenous people attending Australian sexual health services. Medical Journal of Australia, 200(10), pp.595–598.

Olson-Chen, C., Balaram, K. and Hackney, D.N. (2018). Chlamydia trachomatis and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: Meta-analysis of Patients With and Without Infection. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 22(6), pp.812–821.

Rowe, C.R., Newberry, D.M. and Jnah, A.J. (2018). Congenital Syphilis. Advances in Neonatal Care, 18(6), pp.438–445.

Tenfelde, B.S. and Garfield, L. (2020). Role of nurse practitioners in providing care for adolescent females. Women’s Healthcare, pp.19–26.

World Health Organization (2019). Sexually transmitted infections (STIs). [online] Who.int. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sexually-transmitted-infections-(stis).