2023-11-26 14:03:18
by Livia Gamondi
According to a survey, 4 out of 10 people discover the infection by chance and 2 out of 10 postpone communication for fear of judgement. Lack of adherence to therapies for over a third of patients. The information campaign
Talking prolongs life said a television commercial from the 1990s. Today, it is necessary to continue communicating about HIV because it is a social problem and we need to spread correct information about the disease, about the availability of tests and effective drugs. This represents the first step to fight stigma, prejudice and help people live more peacefully and better. HIV continues to be a major global public health problem.
New diagnoses
In Italy in 2022, there were 1,888 new HIV diagnoses. From 2012 to 2020 there was a decrease in new diagnoses which however saw a slight increase in the last two years post pandemic.
WHO estimates that there would be approximately 39 million people with HIV worldwide in 2022, two-thirds in the African Region. In high-income countries, thanks to increased access to prevention, diagnosis and effective treatments, HIV has become a manageable chronic health condition that allows people to live a life comparable to that of the general population.
Research
40 percent of people living with HIV learn of the infection by chance and as many as 2 out of 10 postpone communication, the main reason being fear of judgment and marginalization. one of the data that emerged from a survey on the experiences of people with HIV and their needs, carried out by Elma Research on 500 patients.
In particular, the research highlights how the infection has a decisive impact on various aspects of quality of life. In fact, the vast majority declare that the infection can have strong psychological repercussions, especially due to discrimination and difficulties in living with the infection. Mental health is a point of strong focus and many people with HIV are at risk of depression. Also weighing on the quality of life is the lack of adherence to therapies which affects over a third of patients and which could instead contribute to significantly improving it.
Countryside
And it was precisely from these results that it was born HIV. We’ll talk about it?, the awareness campaign promoted by Gilead Sciences with the patronage of 16 Italian patient associations, the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (SIMIT) and the Italian Conference on AIDS and Antiviral Research (ICAR). Through the voice of those living with HIV, the campaign draws attention to the aspects of life that can be improved, to become aware of them and start addressing them. From psychological aspects to relationships with others, from dialogue with the doctor to the correct use of therapy, the aim is to offer food for thought on one’s condition and useful information for improving it.
HIV treatment
From the moment the infection is contracted to the moment it occurs, up to ten years can pass and the infection can be transmitted in a completely unconscious manner – explains Andrea Gori, Department of Infectious Diseases, “Luigi Sacco” Hospital, University of Milan and president Anlaids Lombardy – . This is why it is important to get tested because by knowing your history you can interrupt the chain of contagiousness.
According to the latest data published by the CoA, in almost 60 percent of cases the infection is discovered at an advanced stage, which can compromise the effectiveness of therapies. The fight against HIV – continues Gori – can in fact count on effective therapeutic strategies, capable of eliminating the viral load, especially if taken as early as possible. Furthermore, adherence to therapy is crucial and allows us to drastically reduce the probability of the appearance of mutations of the virus that can cause “resistance to anti-HIV drugs”, i.e. a reduced or absent capacity for the effectiveness of the therapy itself. Not only. Those who follow the therapeutic indications also protect others, since by eliminating the replication of the virus it does not transmit the infection and is no longer contagious. A revolutionary and at the same time very simple concept which translates into U=U (Undetectable꞊Untransmittable) or ‘I am treated, not infected.
Today, treatments are much simpler: 95 percent of people living with HIV take just one tablet and semi-annual administration will soon be available.
Psychological well-being
Mental health and psychological well-being more generally are very important aspects that are not always given the right attention – explains Alessandro Lazzaro, Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome -. There are many people with HIV who are at risk of depression or who have disorders such as insomnia, anxiety, depression which can have a significant impact on their quality of life. The causes can be different: social stigma, unfortunately still strongly present, is one of the main ones. But behind some of these disorders there may be a biological cause, linked to the effects of the virus or of the antiretroviral therapy itself. And therefore the doctor-patient dialogue has a crucial role in gaining awareness and addressing them, not only from the point of view of therapeutic choices, but also to direct the person towards an integrated multidisciplinary path, concludes the infectious disease specialist.
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November 26, 2023 (modified November 26, 2023 | 1:02 pm)
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