In my disease class, we studied an equation which was R=L/A. R is the basic reproduction number, L is average life span of population, and A is average age of infection. A connection between the equation is as R gets smaller the number of A is increasing or the amount of L gets smaller. As the life span gets shorter the age of infection gets smaller if R stays the same. The United Nations have to know this equation because of two reasons, 1) it helps identify diseases such as HIV/AIDS. 2) By knowing age of people that get the disease, it can help find better medical solutions.
Math equations such as R=L/A, help the UN understand the basics of certain diseases and have a background of it. This is good for them because it will allow them to have a better understanding of the disease. For example figure 1, it shows the HIV/AIDS incidence around the world – darker areas are most affected which will help them find what areas they mostly need to focus on. This way they will be able to figure out the number of reproduction and they age of people. If its reproduction number was low they will know that people are dying at a early age based on the equation R=L/A.
By knowing the average age of infection, this will help the millennium goals by determining which age (babies to the elderly) need more medical care. This will make their work easier to find solutions such as what kind of medicine to get, and what kind of people to talk with. Using the equation R= L/A will help them find R and L if they already have the average age of infection. For example in figure 2, it shows that in sub Saharan Africa, 80% orphaned children have aids. If A is low then you will be able to know that R and L are low because if you get it at a earlier age you know that you will not live longer and that means you will have a lower reproduction number.
In my conclusion, R=L/A helps the united nations because if they want to find any of the variables in the equation they will figure out how they all impact each other. It helps identify diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and by knowing the age of people that get the disease it can help find better medical solutions. It can help them find a better way of finding and understanding different resources that they are going to be working with.
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