2023-12-01 10:12:22
A study reveals that 16.5% of people with HIV are alone and 12.3% suffer from social isolation, high prevalence rates that make experts put on the table the need to combat them with specific prevention and intervention strategies. .
These are some of the main results of the first large multicenter investigation carried out in Spain on the impact of loneliness and social isolation on people with HIV. The work has been presented at the XIV GeSIDA Congress, the AIDS Study Group of the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC).
Participant 22 centers and reflects a great association between loneliness and social isolation in people with HIV and also links them to other factors. Today, December 1, is World AIDS/HIV Day.
Anxiety, depression and pain
Thus, it slips that “living alone without wanting to or being single are associated with a greater risk of loneliness and social isolation.” Specifically, people with anxiety feel stigma, have greater mobility limitations and are more predisposed to loneliness, while those with depression are more predisposed to social isolation.
The prevalence of loneliness was 16.5% and that of social isolation was 12.3%. Furthermore, according to the document, 29.1% and 21% present symptoms of anxiety and depression respectively; 24.3% have mobility problems; y 40.8% of pain.
EFE/ Jeffrey Arguedas
Hence, the authors of the document presented at the Gesida Congress highlight in conclusion the need for strategies to prevent and address loneliness and isolation in people with HIV.
The experts gathered at the Gesida Congress has analyzed the epidemiological data of HIVas well as the strategies to advance the fulfillment of the objectives of UNAIDS in Spain.
Among them, facilitating access to diagnostic tests, making therapeutic monitoring more flexible, expanding criteria for PreP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and managing coinfections (mainly, HIV, hepatitis C and sexually transmitted infections).
In a transversal way, they have addressed the consequences of stigma for HIV people and not only in terms of social integration, mental health and quality of life, it also represents “a barrier” to addressing the virus, which impacts continuity of care.
“ReHIVbeing Undetectable = Untransmittable”
And on the occasion of World day against AIDS, the State Coordinator of HIV and AIDS (Cesida) has launched the campaign “ReHIVbeing Undetectable = Untransmittable”in collaboration with several scientific societies, aimed at healthcare personnel.
In fact, the initiative is prepared by the health personnel themselves expert in this matter.
“The uniqueness of ReVIHsando” lies in its approach aimed at healthcare professionals, while placing people with HIV at the center of the healthcare system. This enables them to make informed decisions and fully know their rights in an area where they often face stigmatization and prejudice,” explains the president of Cesida, Reyes Velayos.
And the campaign has emerged, Velayos continues, in response to the request of people with HIV to have tools to empower themselves.
It includes more than 25 produced videos and has the participation of personalities and professionals.
One of its main messages is “Undetectable = Untransmittable”which means that the HIV viral load in fluids such as blood, semen or vaginal fluid is so low that a test cannot detect the virus and, therefore, it cannot be transmitted.
Evidence that, according to Cesida, is not fully known in the healthcare environment, so disseminating the message would significantly contribute to reducing stigma.
“Reasons” for getting tested
But it is not the only campaign that Cesida has launched for December 1, it has also promoted a new edition of “Reasons”with the motto “Let your reasons lead you to the HIV test”.
The campaign aims to focus on the promotion of sexual health care and involves well-known people such as the digital creative and influencer Adriana Boho and the journalist, disseminator and LGBT activist Daniel Valero, known as Tigrillo on social networks.
Cesida campaign poster.
In short, it seeks to promote the early diagnosis of HIV, in line with the motto proposed by UNAIDS for the world day, which is “Let Communities lead” (let the communities lead).
One in ten young people has never had it done
And, according to the XI Control Barometer Spain “The Spaniards and sex”made from 2,000 testimonies, seven out of ten young people have never had an HIV test; and three out of ten have not gone to a specialist to review the status of their sexual health.
Furthermore, four out of ten confess that they do not usually know the health status of the person with whom they have sex.
#Loneliness #isolation #people #HIV