Inside Health: No excuse for apathy: HIV is far from being just flu

Published on Wednesday 19 November 2008 21:14

THE advertising campaigns of the 1980s warning of the dangers from HIV had a profound effect on people's awareness of the infection.

But it seems that as the years have passed, we have become more blas about HIV, perhaps to the extent that people appear no more worried about it than they do about catching flu.

Hopefully figures from Health Protection Scotland will help shake the public out of its denial.

Between July and September this year, 100 new cases of HIV were diagnosed in Scotland – bringing the total number of people living with HIV in the country to 5,718.

The Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland also expressed concern that analysis of diagnoses between April and June found that 45 per cent of people were being diagnosed late.

This means that they have passed the point where it is best to start treatment to help hold back the disease.

Scotland must readdress its problems with HIV to make sure that it is both prevented and detected.

One health insider said: "People have become more removed from the issue. They don't worry as much about HIV and don't think it is as big a problem as it used to be. That is worrying."

The expert said raising awareness of HIV was again going to be vital in reducing the number of cases.

She also said that the stigma around the disease was stopping people getting tested. This raises the prospect of the disease spreading further.

"One thing we need to see is primary care playing a bigger part in encouraging people to get tested. At the moment some doctors are hesitant about suggesting to people they are tested."