Specific Background Information in Relation to AIDS Research Paper

Specific Background Information in Relation to AIDS - Research Paper Example Specifically with Australia, it is officially known that â€Å"from the start of the epidemic until the end of 2009, there have been 29,395 diagnoses of HIV and 10,446 diagnoses of AIDS. Australia has recorded 6,776 AIDS deaths† (AVERT, 2010). In terms of AIDS, the country has recorded downward infection rates since 2005 from 234 to 90 in 2009. However with new HIV infections, there has been rising new prevalence and infection rate since the same period of time. This is an alarming situation. The graph below represents data on new HIV and AIDS infection rates for Australia for a decade from 1999 to 2009. Source: AVERT (2010). Australia HIV & AIDS Statistics From the graph, it can be seen that the new infections of HIV generally rise whiles that of AIDS generally decrease. The truth however is that all people having HIV will eventually contract AIDS and so if there is something to be worried about most, it should be the new HIV, which unfortunately keeps going up. Statement of Problem The present problem for which a strategy needs to be developed is the seemingly low level of awareness on the risk factors associated with the HIV disease and how the key risks associated with the disease can be prevented or minimized. Lately, there is a globally low trend on the campaign against HIV because of the general downward infection rates recorded of late. AVERT (2010) notes that â€Å"the number of deaths probably peaked around 2004, and due to the expansion of antiretroviral therapy, declined by 19 percent between 2004 and 2009.† Because of this trend, governments, non-governmental agencies and other organized bodies that formally championed the campaign on HIV all seem to have coiled back into their shells. It is said to note that there continue to be low budgets allocated to HIV awareness programs because of the general assurance that the infection rate of HIV is going down. One very important factor that stakeholders who seem to be relaxing on their effo rts seem to be forgetting is the fact that low infection rates is not equal to zero infection rate. It is not as if HIV no longer affects new casualties. Sight must not even be lost of the fact that HIV continues to remain a non-curative disease and a disease that is still rated as an epidemic. Presently, there is no continent or country that has a zero infection rate. For this reason, there is a major problem of reduced awareness and thus the need to strategies means of uplifting the once vibrant campaign against HIV and AIDS infections in the country. Questions Motivating Research for Devising the Strategy The conduct of this research shall pivot around a number of questions. These questions are worth stating because they are going to serve as delimitations to the researcher in defining the kind of information to look out for and which information to leave out of the research. The questions are again worth stating because they will guide the researcher in knowing exactly what the research work seeks to achieve and scope that the research work may not deal with. The questions that are going to guide the conduct of the research and device of the strategy are therefore given as followers: 1. What is the global infection rate of