A recent training session for staff at Age Concern Wellington Region caused me to adjust one of my innate or unconscious biases, and review some of the others. Abby and Heather from the Positive Speakers Bureau addressed us on HIV awareness with particular attention to ageing with HIV through their involvement with Positive Women Inc.
Positive Women Inc is a support organisation for women and families living with and affected by HIV. They also provide HIV awareness through educational programmes with a focus on the de-stigmatisation of HIV.
The advice that approximately 4500 people from all social strata in Aotearoa NZ are living with HIV, and in the next 6 years 72% will be over the age of 50, jolted my unconscious bias about people with HIV.
The University of Southern California’s Office of Diversity and Outreach defines Unconscious biases as: social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. Everyone holds unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups, and these biases stem from one’s tendency to organise social worlds by categorising.
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Deficiency Syndrome). There is currently no effective cure; however there is treatment to stop the progression of the virus and reduce the risk of transmission.
I suppose my views were formed during the 1980s and 1990s when the HIV/AIDS scare was in the news with many misconceptions about its transmission and effects, along with ignorance about its treatment. To my mind, it was a disease associated with drug use and needle exchange, or with casual sexual relationships (like syphilis or gonorrhoea) with all the social stigma attached. Also, those infected can develop a self-imposed stigma.
HIV can be treated and managed through HIV medications called antiretroviral therapy (ART). When someone living with HIV takes HIV medication as prescribed, it can stop the virus from progressing and reduces the amount of detectable HIV infection in the blood. This is known as an Undetectable Viral Load.
Having an undetectable viral load means people’s immune system can recover and function normally. Because of this, HIV is now considered a manageable, chronic illness and no longer the scary death sentence it once was. It also has the additional benefit of reducing the risk of passing HIV on to others.
HIV cannot be passed on through day-to-day contact like hugging, kissing, sharing towels, toilet seats, or eating utensils. HIV can be passed on through unprotected sex, needles in health-care settings or blood transfusions, sharing drug injection equipment, and between mother and infant during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
Most people who contracted HIV in Aotearoa NZ, got HIV through unprotected sex. Getting HIV from unprotected sex does not mean someone has many partners. It can happen from having sex just once if no protection is used. HIV affects all nationalities and ethnicities. When a person living with HIV is on HIV medication with an undetectable viral load, the risk of passing on HIV is Zero.
The ART treatment has greatly improved the quality of life and life expectancy for people living with HIV even to the extent of women living with HIV, with an undetectable viral load, can have children with a low risk of passing on HIV.
It is not all plain sailing; there are some side effects and complications from the ART treatment such as: HIV and some HIV medications can increase risk of developing bone disease, diabetes, liver disease, renal disease, and cognitive disorders. But it is important to note that the benefits of ART far outweigh the risks of these side effects, and regular monitoring by a healthcare provider can help manage these complications.
Given that the HIV problem only emerged in the 1980s there are still some questions about the longer-term effects of both the virus and the treatment, as well as the burning questions as to whether ageing with HIV causes unforeseen problems. So, we are still learning.
With people like Abby and Heather, and organisations like Positive Women Inc, we can be assured that these issues will be addressed full on. And maybe more unconscious biases will be given a bit of a nudge.
If you have a community group that may be interested in having a presenter come and share their experience of living with HIV, there is a free service available. Click here for more information…
~ Mick, Office Support Volunteer