Answer 3 for PUB 540 Discuss and define the risk factor or exposure that is being assessed, the method of comparison that is used, and the setting or situation (community, school, workplace, etc.) your study would look to address
My choice of health issue for discussion is HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). HIV is a global epidemic that rapidly spreads through body fluids via sexual intercourse. Approximately 38 million people live with HIV globally (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2021). This infectious disease is prevalent among African Americans, especially young gay men aged 13-24 years. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2022), black Americans and young gay men account for 42% of all new HIV diagnoses in 2019 in the United States. Youths aged 13-24 years accounted for 83% of new HIV diagnoses.
I would use a retrospective cohort study method to measure the association between HIV exposure and incidence among Black-American young gay men. The study would focus on population demographics and sexual behaviors. A cohort study is suitable for this study because the target population shares similar characteristics (gay; male to male sexual contact), which is the major predisposing factor for HIV. The study design is retrospective because HIV is common among young gay men. Therefore, medical records for young gay men who visit clinics for antiretroviral drugs and support services (psychotherapy) can provide relevant data. A community healthcare center can provide data on the geographical locations of people living with HIV who identify as gay or bisexual. We would then trace the individuals and evaluate their social and economic status and environment. The exposure is identified by self-reporting. Outcomes are determined by hospital admission rate for opportunistic diseases and full-blown AIDs.
The proposed cohort study is observational since data is obtained from medical records. Participants’ exposure and outcome are not manipulated (Setia, 2016). The data collected can help identify risk factors for HIV advancement to AIDs that cause the increased disparities in the prevalence of HIV among the Black American race and young gay men.
References
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, April 18). Basic Statistics; HIV basics. www.cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/statistics.html#:~:text=Young%20people %20aged%2013%20to,13%20to%2024%20in%202019
Kaiser Family Foundation. (2021, March 2). The Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic. www.kff.org. https://www.kff.org/global-health-policy/fact-sheet/the-global-hivaids- epidemic/
Setia M. S. (2016). Methodology Series Module 1: Cohort Studies. Indian journal of dermatology, 61(1), 21–25. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5154.174011
