The impact of socioeconomic inequalities on mother-child HIV Thesis

The impact of socioeconomic inequalities on mother-child HIV transmission and the therapeutic intervention in South Africa - Thesis Example Absolute poverty in this case is the inability for one to meet basic need while relative poverty is whereby individuals and the community lag behind in welfare. According to Mail Guardian (2011), almost half of South Africa population lives below the poverty line, surviving on just over R500 a month. Though poverty levels have been decreasing over time, the country still lags behind due to the high level of unemployment. It is estimated that only 41% of adults are employed (Mail Guardian 2011). According to Cox (2008), poverty has caused a significant effect on the financial power of the affected women than men. According to Rosenweig et al. (1998), lack of adequate finance, affordable housing, and skills have exposed single parents to engage in dangerous promiscuity like prostitution hence increasing their risk of contracting HIV and Aids. In South Africa, women accounts for more than 57% of individuals living with HIV (Henry 2005). Moreover, majority of women living with HIV are within 25 to 35 years (Henry 2005). This is a childbearing age hence; there is a very high likelihood of having mother-to-child HIV transmission. In response to the effect of HIV and mother-to-child transmission, the government of South Africa has come up with various intervention strategies. Among them is public health education, advocating for Caesarean section during delivery, substituting breastfeeding after delivery, use of antiretroviral drugs for the infected mothers and tax waive on antiretroviral drugs (Haarmann 2000). However, Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) are the most popular of all the interventions on mother-to-child HIV transmission (Chigwedere et al. 2008). It increases child survival and decreases HIV related morbidity and mortality. For a pregnant mother to be able to use ARVs, the person goes through several phases with screening for pregnancy being the first stage. Upon