The affected community (also known as the HIV-affected community) is composed of people who are living with HIV and AIDS, plus individuals whose lives are directly influenced by HIV infection. This originally was defined as young to middle aged adults who associate with being gay or bisexual men, and or injection drug users. HIV-affected community is a community that is affected directly or indirectly affected by HIV. These communities are usually influenced by HIV and undertake risky behaviours that lead to a higher chance of HIV infection. To date HIV infection is still one of the leading cause of deaths around the world with an estimate of 36.8 million people diagnosed with HIV by the end of 2017, but there can particular communities that are more vulnerable to HIV infection, these communities include certain races, gender, minorities, and disadvantaged communities. One of the most common communities at risk is the gay community as it is commonly transmitted through unsafe sex. The main factor that contributes to HIV infection within the gay/bisexual community is that gay men do not use protection when performing anal sex or other sexual activities which can lead to a higher risk of HIV infections. Another community will be people diagnosed with mental health issues, such as depression is one of the most common related mental illnesses associated with HIV infection. HIV testing is an essential role in reducing HIV infection within communities as it can lead to prevention and treatment of HIV infections but also helps with early diagnosis of HIV. Educating young people in a community with the knowledge of HIV prevention will be able to help decrease the prevalence within the community. As education is an important source for development in many areas. Research has shown that people more at risk for HIV are part of disenfranchised and inner city populations as drug use and sexually transmitted diseases(STDs) are more prevalent. People with mental illnesses that inhibit making decisions or overlook sexual tendencies are especially at risk for contracting HIV.
Community members All members of a community are exposed or vulnerable to HIV infections, as in which HIV-affected community includes people that are affected by HIV or even influenced by it. Communities that are affected by HIV are usually doing risky behaviours, these behaviours include; sexual activities without the use of protection, and sharing of syringes and needles can contribute to HIV infection. These risk factors and behaviours includes; communities high in other sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, herpes, etc. and communities that are active users of sharing needles that includes drug solutions(WHO. HIV) Other factors that associate with communities such as limited healthcare access, poverty and power imbalances. all contribute towards communities that are affected by HIV. These communities include large metropolitan communities that include certain ethnic/racial, gender, and behavioural of subpopulations that may be affected by high rates of HIV counts. Other communities in the rural areas could be more exposed to HIV infections as there is lack of communication between the outside world, such as less health care services, lack of food supplies and also education, that could be factors of increasing HIV infections. Communities in rural areas also suffer from obtaining an adequate and affordable house and it could be difficult for HIV infected people to rent a house if the landlord discovers they are infected with HIV. It is better to consider communities that include people who are more active in risky behaviours and are from particular racial groups that will be more likely to be affected by HIV. It will help to increase the chances of decreasing the prevalence of HIV overall and also helps to decrease the prevalence of HIV within that community. Communities are also socially impacted, family members that are affected by HIV reduces the capacity of that family to generate income and support for their family members. It also has a reduction in individual's self care even though if they do not have HIV, but through taking their time to provide care and support to other people that are affected by HIV. The suffering of HIV within communities does not affect some people within the community but the majority of the community. These affected HIV communities also work with their government in developing new approaches towards prevention of HIV, it helps to understand the effectiveness of community approaches and potentially assisting in the global crisis of HIV.
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