Global Health Comparison Grid
Use this document to complete the Module 6 Assessment Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement
| Global Healthcare Issue | Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) | |
| Description | Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a viral infection that attacks the body’s immune system rendering it incapable of fighting against other disease-causing pathogens. It is estimated that almost 38 million people globally have HIV, with a majority of them being in developing countries (Mahy et al., 2021). | |
| Country | United States (U.S.) | Spain |
| Describe the policy in each country related to the identified healthcare issue | One of the policies that address HIV in the U.S is referred to as Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) which was proposed by former President Donald Trump. The policy aims to infuse and coordinate additional resources, technology, and expertise through the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) agencies to implement tailored plans to combat the disease (Beyrer et al., 2021). | Spain, after the recommendations of the European Union, implemented the HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis strategy, through which they created the Information System for PrEP programs in Spain (SIPrEP). This program is aimed to reduce the number of new HIV cases in Spain by collecting information and using it as a source of evidence to implement targeted efforts towards combating HIV. |
| What are the strengths of this policy? | There are various strengths attached to this policy, the first being the infusion of additional resources towards preventive efforts. Another strength of the policy is having coordinated efforts through the agencies within DHHS. This enables better efficiency and targeted efforts towards combating the disease (Beyrer et al., 2021) | The policy’s strength lies in the coordinated efforts from different government agencies, including regional government and other non-governmental agencies as sources of information that will facilitate targeted efforts toward combating the disease (HIV Outcomes, n.d.). |
| What are the weaknesses of this policy? | One of the weaknesses of this policy is that funding of the program is subject to congressional approval at a time when the COVID-19 Pandemic has taken center stage. This means that the program is likely to have unmet budgetary allocations which could hinder the success of its implementation. | Similar to the case of the U.S, the current COVID-19 pandemic has impeded full implementation of the program. |
| Explain how the social determinants of health may impact the specified global health issue. (Be specific and provide examples | There are several social determinants of health associated with HIV, some of which include economic status and level of education, where those from low-income families are disproportionately affected by the disease. Persons living in rural communities are also more likely to be infected by the disease compared to those living in urban areas (Breskin et al., 2017). | Low health literacy, marital status, unemployment, and migratory habits are some of the social determinants of HIV in Spain. The listed social determinants affect the usage of preventive options. The social determinants also contribute to various risk activities associated with HIV, for example engaging in unprotected premarital sex. |
| How has each country’s government addressed cost, quality, and access to the selected global health issue? | The U.S has been steadfast in addressing HIV by improving access to preventive care against HIV, especially among vulnerable population groups. The new EHE policy aims to boost those efforts even further. | Like the U.S Spain has also invested most of its finances in improving preventive strategies against HIV. |
| How has the identified health policy impacted the health of the global population? (Be specific and provide examples) | The implementation of EHE sets precedence through which other countries can adopt towards targeted efforts in fighting against HIV. Given how long the disease has prevailed, and the fact that there is still no vaccine yet, having alternative workable strategies to combat the infection will help the global population. | Through preventive strategies like the SIPrEP program, Spain can share information that could be used in other countries to implement preventive strategies leading to better outcomes for the global population in so far as HIV is concerned. |
| Describe the potential impact of the identified health policy on the role of a nurse in each country. | With the implementation of the EHE, the role of nurses as community/patient advocates will receive a boost since it is expected that there will be a significant drop in HIV cases, especially among communities with significant disparities in the infection, for example, those living in rural areas. | With access to evidence-based information, the role of nurses as patient advocates and educators will be enhanced, especially through targeted and coordinated health promotion initiatives against HIV. |
| Explain how global health issues impact local healthcare organizations and policies in both countries. (Be specific and provide examples) | HIV has significantly impacted the amount of health care funding causing realignment of some policies that would have otherwise benefited from the funding. Implementing policies to reduce the prevalence of the disease will have a positive impact on other health care programs. | Spain being part of the EU has to adopt several policies that may interfere with their local programs. However, such agreements are meant to have coordinated efforts towards reducing the prevalence of the disease across the continent and the world. |
| General Notes/Comments | While the trends in new HIV cases have been reducing over time, more could still be done to achieve better results in HIV prevention. The EHE provides a roadmap through which further decrease in new infections could be achieved. | The strategy employed by Spain is slightly different from that of the U.S, however, both emphasize on preventive measures as the most suitable approach in dealing with the HIV epidemic |