Qualitative analysis of HIV and AIDS disease transmission: impact of awareness, testing and effective follow up

Abstract

Background: Since the early 1980s, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and its accompanying acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have spread worldwide, becoming one of the world's major global health issues. From the beginning of the epidemic until 2020, about 79.3 million people became infected, with 36.3 million deaths due to AIDS illnesses. This huge figure is a result of those unaware of their status due to stigmatization and invariably spreading the virus unknowingly. Methods: Qualitative analysis through a mathematical model that will address HIV unaware individuals and the effect of an increasing defaulter on the dynamics of HIV/AIDS was investigated. The impact of treatment and the effect of inefficient follow-up on the transmission of HIV/AIDS were examined. The threshold for the effective reduction of the unaware status of HIV through testing, in response to awareness, and the significance of effective non-defaulting in treatment commonly called defaulters loss to follow-up as these individuals contribute immensely to the spread of the virus due to their increase in CD4+ count was determined in this study. Stability analysis of equilibrium points is performed using the basic reproduction number $R_0$, an epidemiological threshold that determines disease eradication or persistence in viral populations. We tested the most sensitive parameters in the basic reproduction numbers. The model of consideration in this study is based on the assumption that information (awareness) and non-stigmatization can stimulate change in the behaviours of infected individuals, and can lead to an increase in testing and adherence to treatment. This will in turn reduce the basic reproduction number, and consequently, the spread of the virus. Results: The results portray that the early identification and treatment are inadequate for the illness to be eradicated. Conclusions: Other control techniques, such as treatment adherence and effective condom usage, should be investigated in order to lessen the disease's burden.