HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is an infectious disease which mainly effects

the body cells which provides immunity to the body and it is very difficult to get
recover from this virus. The final stage of HIV called AIDS (Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome). When human body reaches at the stage of AIDS, it decreases
the amount of CD4 cells. In Saskatchewan, mostly Indigenous people are more prone
to HIV infection and aboriginal women are more likely to get effected with this virus.
Although there are many causal agents of HIV in case of individual, social and
environment factors, by obeying some recommendations, Indigenous women can save
their own lives as well as can prevent the spread of HIV to others.
According to Saskatchewan HIV/AIDS Strategy, Indigenous people has more
proportions of HIV and AIDS as compared to non indigenous people. All accessible
proof recommends that aboriginal women experience more HIV infection than males.
As, 50% of aboriginal females has new infections of HIV. According to statistics, In
2012, 82% of females were affected by HIV and AIDS whereas only 69% males were
diagnosed. Moreover, 92% of reported HIV cases were experienced by aboriginal
youth in which 57% were aboriginal females. (Saskatchewan, n.d.)
HIV/AIDS is an infectious disease. There are many risk factors at different levels. In
the Indigenous community HIV is very common and most detectable disease among
women. The determinants of well being are the collection of individual, social,
economic and environmental factors that determines the people and population well
being status.
Individual factors: There are many individual factors that cause HIV infection among
aboriginal females such as risky health behaviors include use of drugs and alcohol
intake as when women intake alcohol they lose their power to think and due to this
sometimes it leads to unsafe sex such as having sex without condom or using condom
not in a proper way can increase the susceptibility of having HIV. Sexual contact is
also involved in individual factors to cause HIV like as transgender women and
bisexuals are at higher risk of making sexual contact with HIV positive person. In an
Indigenous community, it is mandatory for the children to attend Residential schools
where children were abused sexually, mentally and verbally and in Residential
schools they can’t get an adequate diet, proper health care and mostly these places are
overcrowded which leads to increase the chance of HIV infection. IDU (Injection
Drug User) is the primary risk of exposure to HIV infection because during the drug
intake sometimes a person can use the same needle and syringe which can carry blood
of the HIV infected person. If a non infected person will use it then it will increase the
possibility of getting infection because syringe can carry blood with HIV virus for
about 42 days depends on the temperature and other factors.
Social Factors: Social factors are determinants of well being separated from different
infectious and non infectious diseases. HIV shows the unequal status and the worst
condition of aboriginal females in the society. Who do not have power to speak and
stand for their rights and they cannot take the benefit of social freedom. Social factors
which can cause HIV are low economic status ( high illtracy rate, unemployment and
low wage). Moreover, gender discrimination can also increase the possibility of
infection because women are less educated, unemployed and more dependent on
others as compared to males. Which can put them at higher risk of infecting with
HIV. Furthermore, culture and social norms are also the reasons as in culture mostly
old men who are at greater risk of having HIV infection likely to have young girl as a
sex partner. Which put women also in the risk. Social norms, men tends to abuse
women sexually, verbally, domestic violence and rape. Aboriginal participants were
more likely to be younger, female or transgender women, less educated, unemployed,
and homeless or unstable housed. They were also more likely to have low incomes
and to have experienced housing-related discrimination. (Monette, et.al., 2011). If
people do not have home, they are mentally unstable or depression and some people
have house but the house is overcrowded by this they do not have any privacy and
safe place to maintain physical and mental well being. People who are homeless they
cannot easily access to medical care and other social services which can put them at
greater risk of having HIV.
Environmental Factors: Natural environment has significant impact on everyone’s life
at different levels. Local natural resources are an important means of sustenance and
income generation in many rural areas of developing countries (HIV/AIDS, 2006) HIV
is an infectious disease so environment can also decrease or increase the vulnerability
of HIV in two ways among Indigenous women. First of all, deficiency of natural
resources in a particular area is the reason for poverty and people who are under the
poverty line are at the danger of getting HIV due to many reasons such as poor
aboriginal females are more likely to engage in “transactional sex” to fulfilling their
daily needs. Secondly, scarcity of natural resources can leads to food uncertainty and
insufficient eating routine, as when Indigenous women take inadequate diet it can
weakens their immune system. Which can expand the danger of HIV. While likewise
expanding the danger of HIV transmission from mother to child during pregnancy.
Research in Singapore suggests that malnutrition may also reduce the effectiveness of
HIV/AIDS treatments (HIV/AIDS,2006). So simply if a women with HIV is not
physical fit or unhealthy and take improper diet or remains starve it can reduce the
effect of the medication she take to cure her HIV infection.

Summary
HIV is a sexually transmitted infection and caused due to the transfer of blood and
body fluids. Whereas AIDS is a chronic and life-threatening disorder caused by the
HIV. The prevalence of AIDS is increasing all over the world.According to
Saskatchewan HIV/AIDS strategy aboriginal women experience more HIV cases as
compared to males. According to 2012 reports, 82% females and 92% young
Indigenous population suffer from HIV in which 57% were only Aboriginal females.
There are two main factors in Saskatchewan cause HIV among Indigenous women
which are IDU (Injection Drug Users) and unsafe sex. Saskatchewan is the only
province in all over Canada, in which large number of Aboriginal women are infected
by HIV due to IDU. IDU refers to injecting drug in the body by needles or syringes.
Sometimes the syringe is reused which can leads to the risk of transmit infected blood
from one person to other. Because the HIV infected blood is remains active for 42
days in syringe. Moreover, sexual contact is the second major factor to cause HIV.
Individual factors include drug abuse, alcohol consumption and unsafe sex.
Furthermore, social factors comprises of inequality on the basis of gender,
homelessness, low wage and unemployment. Which can leads to “Transactional Sex”
because Aboriginal women have to indulge in sexual relationships to fulfill their basic
needs. However, deficiency of natural resources can increase the perportions of
poverty and the inadequate diet which is also increase the possibility of HIV and
AIDS.

Recommendations:

1 Limit the use of drugs: In Saskatchewan drug abuse is the main reason which cause
the HIV in Indigenous people and especially in women. Women who are indulge in
drug abuse are more likely to have HIV infection. Because it is easily transmitted
from one person to other by blood and body fluids. Drug abuse limit the functioning
of our brain which limits our ability to think and which can leads to unsafe sex
practices or sharing same needle and syringe to take drug. HIV or AIDS cannot be
easily cured but we can limit the spread of these diseases by avoiding the use of drug
which can reduce the risk of unsafe sex practices and shared-equipment for drugs
intake. Moreover, awareness programmes and counselings should be arranged to
aware the people regarding the negative impacts of drug abuse.

2 Safe sex practices: Unsafe sex between two partners in which one is infected with
HIV can cause many serious difficulties. First of all, it can increase the chance of
spreading other sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea and
chlamydia. These disease cause infections in the private parts of both men and women
which shortly, cause severe complications in the urethra of women and anus and
rectum in men and it can also spread to the other body parts. Mostly STD’s can
increase the possibility of infertility in women. So, to overcome or reduce the risk of
getting HIV and other STD is having safe sex. We can practice safe sex in many ways
first of all, use condoms which proves very beneficial in prevention of HIV. Condoms
should be used in proper way and every time when you having sex with your partner.
Secondly, limit the number of sex partners which is very effective to protect you from
HIV infection. Greater the number of sex partners put you at the greater danger of
getting sexually transmitted diseases from them. Lastly, take an appointment with
doctors and get tested on regular basis at least once a year to safe your partner from
having infections.

HIV/AIDS and the Natural Environment – Population Reference Bureau. (2006).

​Monette, L. E., Rourke, S. B., Gibson, K., Bekele, T. M., Tucker, R., Greene, S.,
Sobota, M., Koornstra, J., Byers, S., Marks, E., Bacon, J., Watson, J. R., Hwang, S.
W., Ahluwalia, A., Dunn, J. R., Guenter, D., Hambly, K., & Bhuiyan, S. (2011).
Inequalities in Determinants of Health Among Aboriginal and Caucasian Persons
Living With HIV/AIDS in Ontario: Results From the Positive Spaces, Healthy Places
Study. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 102(3), 215–219.
https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03404900
Saskatchewan | CAAN. (n.d.).
https://caan.ca/en/regional-fact-sheets/saskatchewan/