Achieving an AIDS-Free World: PEP & PrEP Strategies - Research Paper

Introduction

In the clinical research world, researchers have been working on achieving an AIDS-free world and possibly end the HIV pandemic. The efforts are sometimes thought to be controversial, optimistic, and speculative as they focus on two basic evidence-based HIV prevention strategies, which are Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). The PEP should be taken within 24 hours after being exposed to HIV. Post-Exposure Prophylaxis should be considered only in emergencies, and it an alternative substitute for regular use of other recommended HIV prevention methods like the PrEP. The empirical focus of my research will be a means of accessing HIV prevention through PrEP and PEP in the hope of fighting against HIV/AIDS. Additionally, I will explain the PrEP and PEP interventions, present supportive data and explain how people with the risk of HIV infection can access the responses as articulated in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States National Library of Medicine.

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Brief Discussion

Some healthcare institutions across the United States have been trained in offering treatment and support for patients infected with HIV to meet their infectious disease criteria through the PrEP and PEP programs. The PrEP intervention uses established ARV medications to protect the HIV-negative people from infection with HIV. The PrEP has the potential of preventing HIV from getting hold and spreading throughout the human body. The PrEP is evident to be highly effective in the prevention of HIV through injection drug use or sex when taken daily. However, it is less effective when taken irregularly. PrEP is capable of reducing the risks of getting HIV through sexual intercourse by approximately about 99% but when taken consistently (Marfatia et al., 2017). Besides, among the individuals who inject drugs, when PrEP is taken daily, can facilitate the reduction of being infected with HIV by at least 74%. On the other hand, PEP uses ARV medications to prevent the replication of HIV after exposure to the virus. PEP is a short term intervention and, therefore, should be started within three days of exposure for it to be effective. According to Marfatia et al. (2017), every hour counts, and so, the PEP should be started as sooner as possible when it has been exposed to the HIV situation. On taking PEP later than 74 hours after being exposed to HIV, it has no or little effect on the prevention of getting HIV. However, the recommendation on exposure to the risk for HIV by CDC and WHO is that people should consider PrEP as a prevention option.

Research Questions

In light of the discussion, my work will be aimed at improving HIV diagnosis and prevention, mainly to young adults. Therefore, my research will be broadly based on the following investigative areas:

Education and outreach efforts: What are the efforts of the physicians in educating the communities about prevention? What are the possible "out-of-pocket" costs that may be experienced by people trying to access the PrEP and PEP? Are there assistance programs to subsidize the fee pays for those who are insured and uninsured?

Treatment and prevention: What are the best ways to educate young adults on HIV prevention? How is it possible to eliminate barriers to treatment and prevention to the age groups?

These research questions will investigate the efforts of the physicians on educating and outreaching the communities on HIV prevention and evaluate the effective ways of passing out the awareness of HIV prevention.

Data Collection

My research will be iterative and inductive because the knowledge about effectiveness both PEP and PrEP is limited, and further information is required to be added. The study will, therefore, include online quizzers and some closed-ended surveys due to the large population that needs to be scrutinized. All people around the world will be allowed to take part in giving out their experiences and ideas on the effectiveness of the PEP and PrEP. I will also focus on health institutions to get the views of the health caregivers on the prevention of HIV using the two methods. Since the doctors have professional skills concerning HIV matter, I will be able to get more accurate answers with solid shreds of evidence for my research. To generate interest in the study, I will include some ethnographic methods such as reflexive interviews in the healthcare institutions as well as the individuals vulnerable to the contraction of HIV. In this case, I will interview the patients on the In a more refined way, the samples selected for the research study will be patients with HIV who have reported about the PrEP and PEP and how the programs have assisted them in preventing contraction of the HIV to their partners.

Data Analysis, Presentation, and Methodology

The methodology of data analysis and presentation may include audio recording, and therefore consent will be sought in the interviews to ensure that the ethical considerations are adhered to. According to Kuckartz (2016), one of the tenets of qualitative researches is honoring and emphasizing the interviewees' own words as generative of knowledge and meaning. The study will entail an ethnographic methodology that incorporates well-thought qualitative approaches. Consequently, ethnography is a detailed and rich methodology and thus will suit well to the difficulties of understanding how the complex intervention functions; process evaluation of HIV prevention using PEP and PrEP behavior interventions will be facilitated using the ethnographic methods. "In process evaluations, qualitative data can contribute insights into how interventions operate and how outcomes are reached, although, in practice, qualitative research is not always used to inform the trials they are part of" (Morgan-Trimmer & Wood, 2016, p. 232). For instance, most of the challenges of HIV exposure are presented by same-gender sexual intercourse, mostly the male gender who seeks for PEP after the exposure.

Conclusion

In a wrap-up, the research discussion aims at highlighting the means of access to HIV prevention through PrEP and PEP interventions. The research will further entail the possible interventions through PrEP and PEP and the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Intervention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). However, since most of the people approaching the healthcare institutions for help are not insured, the research will outline the possible costs that both the insured and uninsured people will be expected to pay for their services. This research will focus mainly on facilitating improvements to HIV diagnosis and prevention, mostly to young adults. It will be based on outlining the efforts which the physicians are making in educating the people on HIV prevention and the possible "out-of-pocket" expenses that may be experienced by individuals trying to access the PrEP and PEP. It will investigate if there are assistance programs to subsidize the cost pays for those who are insured and uninsured. Finally, the research focuses on finding out the best ways to educate young adults on HIV prevention and the possibilities of eliminating barriers to treatment and prevention to the age groups.

References

Kuckartz, U. (2016). Qualitative text analysis. A guide to methods, practice and using software..

Marfatia, Y. S., Jose, S. K., Baxi, R. R., & Shah, R. J. (2017). Pre- and post-sexual exposure prophylaxis of HIV: An update. Indian Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 38(1), 1-9.

Morgan-Trimmer, S., & Wood, F. (2016). Ethnographic methods for process evaluations of complex health behaviour interventions. Trials, 17(1), 232