Centers for Disease Control, FDA & Medicaid/Medicare Services
Introduction
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to impact millions of lives in the United States. Over sixty fiver percent of HIV diagnoses are African American individuals ages 13-24(Zanoni and Mayer, 2014). Additionally, 15-24-year-olds comprise 50% of recent HIV infection rates, which are 7-20 times higher among youth of color (CDC, 2013). The mortality rate among these groups is also higher(Fedeli et al., 2015). Currently, there is no medical treatment to cure HIV/AIDS, nor a vaccine for HIV contagion (Kurth, Celum, Baeten, Vermund, & Wasserheit, 2011). Thus making it very challenging for both community and public health leaders to effectively address this health crisis. Public health officials have worked hard to take preventive measure though promoting behavioral changes on a personal level and modifications to policy (ie: funding. safe needle exchange, free STI clinics)(Kates, Sorian, Crowley, & Summers, 2002). This paper will focus on the 3 essential public health services and core functions the FDA, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and Medicaid/Medicare services.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is one of the most prominent leaders among the US Public Health Service Agencies for disease prevention(Aral and Blanchard, 2012). The CDC public health initiative entails a mass scale campaign to provide resources and services to those minority who are at higher risk of infection(Aral and Blanchard, 2012). The FDA and Medicaid/Medicare government services have each contributed to treating efficiently and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among vulnerable populations(Aral and Blanchard, 2012; Gardner, McLees, Steiner, del Rio, & Burman, 2011; Kates et al., 2002; Kurth et al., 2011). Local agencies are also part of the effort as they too receive funding to provide adequate healthcare and resources.
The highest rate of HIV/STI diagnoses are among young people of color.Adolescents and young adults aged 13-24 represent 20% of HIV diagnoses in the U.S., (CDC, 2014; Zanoni and Mayer, 2014). To meet the needs of these populations, the agency I work for has made concerted effort to implement outreach programs targeting youth. The goal is to ensure equal access to treatment and knowledge of preventive measures, as this population is least likely to get tested and seek treatment. HIV prevention efforts must include STI screening to effectively achieve harm reduction(Kurth et al., 2011; Zanoni and Mayer, 2014). Fewer than 1 in 3 sexually active young people have been tested for HIV(Zanoni and Mayer, 2014),which is much lower than the federal recommendation(CDC, 2013).
Governmental Public Health and Local Agencies:
Centers for Disease Control, FDA & Medicaid/Medicare Services
The CDC has also sought outreach to schools and colleges to reduce the rates of HIV/AIDS among the young, minority and low-income populations(Gardner et al., 2011).. They have collaborated with local agencies to implement protocols for effectual health education to assist in the prevention of the growing epidemic of HIV/AIDS (Gardner et al., 2011). CDC programs aimed to help these groups embody community health education and interventions that lessen risk through counseling and testing for HIV infection, and AIDS(Aral and Blanchard, 2012). CDC has executed these educational program in clinical settings, dispelling misconceptions about AIDS through the distribution of accurate information, and counsel young people(Aral and Blanchard, 2012). Such initiatives experiences have ascertained valuable information that informs the efforts of other public health services, such as the FDA and Medicaid/Medicare.
Over 500,000 people with HIV/AIDS are either not diagnosed, unable to afford treatment or do not seek help due to stigma(CDC, 2014). Medicaid, Medicare helped pass the-the Ryan White CARE Act(Kates et al., 2002).. which has employ strategies for addressing these issues by providing free testing for early detection, as well as expanding coverage for needed services(Kates et al., 2002). The Department of Medicaid and Medicare services have fought to extend coverage to those who of low income and HIV positive, but are not considered disabled by the federal government(Kates et al., 2002).
As of 2011, the cost of HIV/AIDS treatment can reach to 10 thousand dollars a year(Aral and Blanchard, 2012). Medicaid and Medicare system have a public health responsibility to assist in providing treatment for those highest at risk, who typically are recipients of either Medicaid or Medicare(Kessell et al., 2015). Medicaid eligibility includes living below the poverty line or becoming legally disabled, those living with HIV/AIDS fall into this category, and thus this government healthcare system is in the most critical position to assist in remedying health disparities.
Regarding addressing the impact of HIV in minority communities funding from this sector is given to “Case Management programs” (Gardner et al., 2011)that target HIV-positive patients of minority populations and links them to medical care as well empowering them to become their own medical advocate, obtain stable residency and improve their overall lifestyle by fighting stigma to increase access to employment(Gardner et al., 2011). Medicaid and Medicare serve to ensure people that medical care and support are available, and thus the knowledge of one status is not to be feared, for they are guaranteed to receive the proper care to stabilize their condition (Kessell et al., 2015) and ensure they are well supported to exert self-agency and enhance hope for their future.
Food and Drug Administration
The US Department of Health and Human Service’s Healthy People 2020 goal has made it a priority to promote proposed projects tailored to decreases rates and increase screening of STI/HIV young adults (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). Increasing early detection through knowledge and linkage to care for those at a higher risk are a significant public health priority(Zanoni and Mayer, 2014). The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the role of meeting this goal by ensuring safety and quality of drugs, and vaccines (Dusetzina et al., 2012)
The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for overseeing the quality of all experimental drugs to treat cancer and infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS (Hamel, Darrow, Sarpatwari, Avorn, & Kesselheim, 2015). Thus relevant to the efforts to provide services to those in need. For example, patients suffering from HIV/AIDs will benefit from an experimental drug that is not yet available on the market for widespread clinical use. However, the risk of harm is too high to not extensive research drug before administered. The FDA continues to work with other government agencies to further research for effective medication to stabilize symptoms as well make treatment as affordable as possible(Gardner et al., 2011). My role in the local agency I currently work with is to inform patients of the various ways mentioned above that the US government can help the lives of those living with HIV/AIDs. It is evident that my role in a local agency is part of a larger public health effort to address the HIV/AIDS crisis on an individual level and global scale
References
Aral, S. O., & Blanchard, J. F. (2012). The Program Science initiative: improving the planning, implementation and evaluation of HIV/STI prevention programs. Sexually transmitted infections, sextrans-2011-050389.
CDC, C. f. D. C. a. P. (2013). Health Disparities and Inequalities Report — United States, 2013. Atlanta: Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/other/su6203.pdf.
CDC, C. f. D. C. a. P. (2014). Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2014
. Atlanta: United States Department of Health and Human Services Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats14/toc.htm.
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Gardner, E. M., McLees, M. P., Steiner, J. F., del Rio, C., & Burman, W. J. (2011). The spectrum of engagement in HIV care and its relevance to test-and-treat strategies for prevention of HIV infection. Clinical infectious diseases, 52(6), 793-800.
Kates, J., Sorian, R., Crowley, J. S., & Summers, T. A. (2002). Critical policy challenges in the third decade of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. American journal of public health, 92(7), 1060-1063.
Kessell, E., Pegany, V., Keolanui, B., Fulton, B. D., Scheffler, R. M., & Shortell, S. M. (2015). Review of Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial Quality of Care Measures: Considerations for Assessing Accountable Care Organizations. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 40(4), 761-796.
Kurth, A. E., Celum, C., Baeten, J. M., Vermund, S. H., & Wasserheit, J. N. (2011). Combination HIV prevention: significance, challenges, and opportunities. Current HIV/AIDS Reports, 8(1), 62-72.
Zanoni, B. C., & Mayer, K. H. (2014). The adolescent and young adult HIV cascade of care in the United States: exaggerated health disparities. AIDS patient care and STDs, 28(3), 128-135.
