The Austrian AIDS Society assumes that there are around 9,000 people infected with HIV in Austria – with nine million inhabitants, that is around 0.1 percent of the population. World AIDS Day takes place on December 1st. Aids help sees an urgent need for action. This year’s World AIDS Day was set under the motto “Equalize” by UNAIDS. Because the fight against inequalities is particularly important in the area of the AIDS pandemic. It’s not just about a common fight against stigma and discrimination, but about equal rights – especially in connection with sexual health. With four demands on World AIDS Day, the Vienna AIDS Federation draws attention to those areas in which there is an urgent need for action, it informed in a broadcast. “Sexual health is not talked about enough. Expressing our needs, desires, problems or even fears to others is often still taboo, and that can lead to health problems,” said Andrea Brunner, Managing Director of AIDShilfe Wien.
“On this year’s World AIDS Day, we draw attention to the fact that the subject of sexual health needs to be dealt with as a matter of course. The right to positive access to sexuality, the right to sexual diversity, the opportunity to be able to address problems openly, but also that Equal and low-threshold access to tests, vaccinations or other preventive measures must be taken into account,” demanded Brunner. Aids Hilfe Wien has chosen this year’s World AIDS Day to have the annual motto “Want to talk. Working together for sexual health”. By talking about sexual health, the ability to act should be increased, so the demand.
decline in the past six years
There is also a need to improve the availability and quality of HIV treatment, testing and prevention so that all people are well served. This includes, among other things, low-threshold and free access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). These are HIV medications that are taken by an HIV-negative person as a preventive measure. If taken correctly, it is just as reliable a protection as the condom. PrEP is available in selected pharmacies for EUR 59 per pack (30 pieces), the costs and the necessary examinations are not covered by health insurance. A private prescription from an HIV specialist is also required. As a result, this effective preventive drug is difficult or impossible to afford for many particularly vulnerable groups – access is therefore very high, criticized Aids Hilfe Wien. She urgently calls for PrEP to be financed by the public sector.
Overall, there has been a decline in new HIV diagnoses over the past six years. The lowest annual value was in 2020 with 332 new infections. This is probably also partly related to regulations and exit restrictions in the wake of the Covid19 pandemic. According to reports from the Center for Virology, significantly fewer HIV tests were sent in, especially during the first year of the Covid19 pandemic in 2020. Across Europe, there were around 24 percent fewer new diagnoses.
Most of the 376 new diagnoses were made in Vienna (189), in Upper Austria (46), followed by Styria (38) and Tyrol (25). Burgenland brings up the rear with two newly diagnosed cases. However, due to anonymous new diagnoses, there may be multiple reports. The number of new diagnoses without anonymous reports was 310 in 2021 – of which 256 were men and 54 women. Around 9,000 people are infected with HIV in Austria. However, it is estimated that almost ten percent of those affected do not know about their infection because they have not yet been tested and are therefore not yet receiving treatment.
Almost 42.5 percent of those affected only found out about their HIV infection at an advanced stage, according to the AIDS association. A late diagnosis – also late presentation – occurs mainly in people over 50 years of age and people who do not come from Austria. In 2021, about one in five people was over 50 at the time of diagnosis. MSM (men who have sex with men) are usually diagnosed earlier. Reasons for the infection going unnoticed for a long time can be a lack of risk awareness or fear of a diagnosis – also due to possible social discrimination.
stop discrimination
Aids Hilfe Wien demands that discrimination and stigmatization of HIV-positive people be stopped. The reduction in quality of life and psychological well-being due to devaluation and discrimination will cause much greater problems in 2022 than the actually minor health restrictions that result from an HIV infection with effective therapy, according to the Aids Hilfe. As a result, many people living with HIV experience derogatory behavior when disclosing their status. Fear, shame and low self-esteem – caused by discrimination – often lead to a poorer quality of life for people with HIV, warns the Aids Hilfe. With effective therapy, the virus is below the detection limit and cannot be passed on. That’s the famous slogan U=U – ‘undetectable is untransmittable’: Below the detection limit is untransmittable, the Aids organization clarified.
The experts also call for quality assurance in the education of young people. Transparency and reference to the latest scientific findings are particularly important in order to educate young people in an age-appropriate manner and to promote their sexual self-determination. In this way, skills are strengthened that enable them to recognize when boundaries are being crossed in real or digital living space, according to the AIDS association.
Source: Nachrichten
