HIV/AIDS Awareness

HIV/AIDS Awareness

On the first day of this month it was World AIDS awareness day.  This is the day that promotes talking about HIV and the day that aims to get information about the disease out there.  When HIV first hit us there was talk of little else but due to the work that has gone on to help arrest the progress of the disease now it is not exposed to as much discussion.  By keeping the conversation going about HIV it is hoped to eradicate some of the secrecy that still surrounds it. Greater understanding about HIV and AIDS means less prejudice and better prevention.

HIV is a disease that attacks the body's immune system and affects the body’s ability to fight infection and disease.   AIDS develops when the immune system can no longer fight infections that it would normally be able to combat.

There are several misconceptions that tend to surround HIV. For example that only gay men contract the disease.  While more than 34,000 gay men do live with HIV in Britain, many sufferers are heterosexuals and one third of those are women.

What about the myth that there are no symptoms of the disease?  This is true for some people.  But others may develop symptoms that include a rash, fever or a very sore throat.

HIV is a sexually transmitted disease but can also be passed on through the sharing of equipment used for injecting drugs.  While there is no cure for the disease, treatments can help sufferers live active lifestyles, albeit with side effects.

World AIDS Day promotes safe sexual practices and discourages the sharing of injecting equipment for drugs. While spreading information about HIV and AIDS, is aimed at reducing the stigma for those who are living with HIV.

You can wear a red ribbon to symbolise support for the pro-active attempts to tackle the spread of this disease and to contribute to reducing discrimination.

If you do one thing in recognition of World AIDS Awareness then you can learn the facts about HIV and AIDS and also help educate friends and family to ditch the myths.   With 80,000 people in the UK living with HIV every day, and discrimination the biggest problem among non-sufferers, it is more vital than ever to raise awareness.

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Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio

 learn the HIV/AIDS facts