Real stories about HIV
When it comes to helping people protect their sexual health, education is often our best tool. In a new range of resources, NAT (National AIDS Trust) is using true stories from people living with, or affected by, HIV to explain the reality of HIV in the UK today.
Here Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of NAT explains just why educating people about HIV is so vital and tells us the signs and symptoms of HIV that every healthcare professional should know.
HIV in the UK today
HIV remains one of the most serious public health challenges in the UK today. Over 80,000 people have HIV and over 7,000 people are diagnosed each year. Despite the growing numbers, research shows that people know less about HIV today than they did 10 years ago. Understanding of how HIV is passed on is declining among the general public and myths and misinformation persist.
Implications of an HIV diagnosis
Thanks to treatment today if people with HIV are diagnosed early and respond to treatment they can be healthy, work and have relationships and have a near-normal life expectancy. Yet, in the UK currently more than a quarter of people with HIV are undiagnosed and a third of people are diagnosed late. Undiagnosed HIV infection doesn't just impact on an individual's health but increasingly evidence shows that undiagnosed HIV infection accounts for over 50 per cent of new infections. One of the most worrying aspects of late diagnosis of HIV is the number of people who have presented with HIV-related symptoms on previous occasions but have not been offered an HIV test.
Spotting the signs and symptoms
Healthcare professionals are on the front line of promoting HIV testing, so the ability to recognise the signs and symptoms of HIV and be confident in offering an HIV test is vital. Between 70-90 per cent of people will experience 'sero-conversion' symptoms soon after infection (in the period called primary infection) caused by the rapid replication of virus in the body. Symptoms of primary HIV infection are most frequently sore throat, fever and rash occurring at the same time, usually within 2 to 6 weeks of infection. Whilst taken separately these are common complaints, together this triad of symptoms are unusual and should suggest possible HIV and require an HIV test. Unfortunately, these symptoms are often ignored by the individual and are easily missed or attributed to other causes by the treating healthcare worker.
Testing for HIV
New UK HIV Testing Guidelines have been produced to tackle undiagnosed HIV and increase testing in the UK. They recommend the introduction of opt-out testing in a range of settings, including termination of pregnancy services. To do this staff need to be educated about what to look for and also become more confident about offering tests and discussing HIV in an open and honest way.
Brand new HIV: Reality resources
To help people really understand what it is like to live with HIV and we have produced a wide range of resources. All our materials signpost people to our World AIDS Day website - www.worldAIDSday.org - which includes a wealth of facts and also lots of real life stories from people living with HIV in the UK.
Even though the resources were created for World AIDS Day, they've been designed to be used all year round. To see the full range visit http://shop.nat.org.uk. To place an order ring 020 7814 6747.
Breaking down stigma
Tackling the stigma is an important part of improving public understanding and increasing HIV testing. Many people with HIV who have submitted stories to our website say that it is prejudice that has the biggest impact on their lives. And we can all play a part in increasing understanding and breaking down stigma. It is simple steps, such as using and sharing HIV information resources and raising the issue of HIV in a balanced, open and non-judgemental way that will have the most dramatic effect both on stopping the spread of HIV and improving the lives of people living with HIV.
For more information and resources visit www.worldAIDSday.org and www.nat.org.uk.
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