HEALTH Almost one in three unaware they have HIV

SOONER NOT LATER The earlier you get tested for HIV, the less you are at risk of rapid disease progression and full-blown AIDS.

Almost one in three unaware they have HIV


Ciara Moynihan

If you are worried that you may have contracted HIV, don’t put off getting a diagnosis. That is the message from AIDS West, which says anyone worried about HIV should act sooner rather than later.
Research revealed last month shows that 30 percent of people living with HIV are unaware of their infection, and may therefore not benefit from timely treatment. According to the HSE, 52 percent of the 320 people newly diagnosed with HIV in Ireland in 2011 presented late, suggesting there are barriers to HIV testing in this country. Of the 85 female cases newly diagnosed in 2011, 27 percent were reported to be pregnant at HIV diagnosis.
Barriers to early diagnosis of HIV include fear of a positive result, discrimination and fears about a lack of confidentiality and a lack of knowledge about the medical treatments for HIV.
According to Dr Jack Lambert, Infectious Disease Consultant, Mater Hospital, “The public needs to know that by avoiding early HIV testing, you put yourself at risk of rapid disease progression, possibly leading to AIDS. Presenting late with HIV also causes problems from a socio-economic point of view, as people tend to be more ill when they do present, leading to a greater burden of care.”
John Flannery, general manager at AIDS West in Galway,  understands that getting tested for HIV is frightening, but the anxiety is equally difficult to carry. “Feeling worried or afraid to get tested for HIV is a real barrier for people. Living with this fear of HIV is a heavy burden to carry alone, so we would encourage anyone who worries about their sexual health to contact the local STI clinic and ourselves for support,” he said.
AIDS West offers care and support to those affected by HIV/AIDS/STIs and to those worried about their sexual health. It has expanded from a small group of dedicated volunteers who gathered together to assist HIV positive people in their final days, to a team of professional, committed people who strive to offer care and support to HIV positive people, their families and carers. Services are completely confidential and are provided throughout the counties of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon and adjacent areas.

HIV in Ireland

• A total of 6,287 cases of HIV were reported in Ireland by the end of December 2011
• 320 cases were diagnosed in 2011
• The highest proportion of new diagnoses in 2011 (42.5 percent) were among men who have sex with men
• 34 percent of the newly diagnosed HIV cases were heterosexually acquired
• 5 percent were among injecting drug users
• Three mother-to-child transmission cases were diagnosed
• 46 new AIDS diagnoses reported in 2011
• The HIV virus was first identified in Ireland in 1983, and the first deaths from AIDS were recorded here in 1985

AIDS West, which is based in Galway City, can be contacted at 091 566266 or e-mail info@aidswest.ie.