What is HIV?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
HIV infects and gradually destroys an infected person’s immune system, reducing their protection against infection and cancers.
Initially, someone living with HIV may show no symptoms of HIV infection as their immune system manages to control it. However, in most cases their immune system will need help from anti-HIV drugs to keep the HIV infection under control. These drugs do not completely rid the body of HIV infection.
What is AIDS?
AIDS is short for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
AIDS is not a single disease or condition. Instead, it is a term that describes the point when a person’s immune system can no longer cope because of the damage caused by HIV and they start to get one or more specific illness.
People do not actually die from AIDS; they die from the cancers, pneumonia or other conditions that may take hold when their immune system has been weakened by HIV.
The term AIDS is now very rarely used. It is more usual to talk of late-stage or advanced HIV infection.
Statistics
HIV is the fastest growing serious health condition in the UK. It's estimated that 70,000 people are living with HIV, a third of whom are undiagnosed.
- Around 89,000 cases of HIV have been reported since the early 1980s
- 17,957 people with HIV have died since the early 1980s
- There were 7,450 new diagnoses in 2005
- In 2006, it was estimated that 30% of people living with HIV did not know about their infection
- Men living with HIV outnumbered women who have HIV by 2:1
- 43% of all new diagnoses of HIV in 2005 were in London
- 30% of new HIV diagnoses in 2005 were among men who have sex with men
HIV in Scotland
- In 2007, 368 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in Scotland
- This represents an increase of 120% between 1998 – 2007
- Number of people needing HIV care in Scotland
- Between 2005 and 2006 the number of people accessing NHS care for HIV who lived in Scotland increased by 11%
- Scotland has the highest percentage in the UK of people accessing HIV care who acquired the virus through injecting drug use (16%)
Who is most affected?
The two groups most affected in the UK are men who have sex with men (MSM) and migrants from regions of the work where HIV is common, such as sub-Saharan Africa.
Approximately 2,700 men who have sex with men were diagnosed in 2006, the highest number since the epidemic began. 82% of these men were probably acquired HIV in the UK.
But the majority of people actually diagnosed with HIV in the UK in 2006 (61%) had been infected through heterosexual sex. Most of these infections were acquired abroad and many were in individuals of African origin.
Because of the way that HIV can be transmitted, another group that faces significant risk of contracting HIV is injecting drug users who share equipment. It is also possible for the virus to be passed from other to baby during pregnancy but improvements to antenatal HIV testing and treatments makes this increasingly rare. In the past some people also got HIV through blood products but in the UK this is now extremely rare as well.
Terrence Higgins Trust
Information about how HIV is transmitted; signs and symptoms; testing for HIV; and HIV treatment can be found at the Terrence Higgins Trust. They also offer advice for professionals on HIV-related legal issues in immigration, housing, community care, welfare rights, human rights and other areas of social welfare law.
Campaigns
HIV: The Comeback Tour (Lothian area)
A new campaign in Glasgow will be launched in February 2009, more information will be posted nearer the time.
Useful reports
Whispers and Closed Doors: The experience of gay men living long-term with HIV (Waverly Care Trust)
Prejudice, Discrimination and HIV, November 2001, Terrence Higgins Trust (THI)
A guide for people who’ve just found out they have HIV: Your next steps, THI
A guide to treatment choices for people with HIV: Your treatment, THI
Making decisions about telling people you have HIV, THI
Poverty and HIV: findings from the Crusaid Hardship Fund in Scotland,
Waverly Care Trust
Its good to go for a test: evaluation of Waverly Care’s HIV Awareness Campaign in African Communities in Glasgow, Waverly Care Trust
HIV becomes your name: a report on the issues facing Africans living in Scotland who are HIV positive, Waverly Care Trust
Sigma Research – various research reports available for download.
Useful links
HIV Scotland
Working across all sectors and areas of Scotland, HIV Scotland seeks to improve the health and wellbeing of people living with HIV and affected communities, and to prevent the spread of HIV infection.
The Terrance Higgins Trust
Terrence Higgins Trust is the leading and largest HIV and sexual health charity in the UK.
Waverly Care
Waverley Care was established in 1989 at the height of the HIV epidemic in Scotland. Since then they have constantly adapted and responded to the changing face of HIV, incorporated Hepatitis C into their work and developed new areas of focus.
Aidsmap - information on HIV and AIDS
NAM is an award-winning, community-based organisation, which works from the UK. They deliver reliable and accurate HIV information across the world to HIV-positive people and to the professionals who treat, support and care for them.
National AIDS Trust
NAT is the UK's leading charity dedicated to transforming society's response to HIV. We provide fresh thinking, expert advice and practical resources. We campaign for change.
Sigma Research
A social research group specialising in the behavioural and policy aspects of HIV and sexual health. It also undertakes research and development work on aspects of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual health and well-being.
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