Info about Aids
One in five gay men are unaware that they have got AIDS
The number of people suffering from AIDS is increasing day by day. And the alarming thing is that many of them are actually unaware that they have HIV infection. This is a disease which has become very common nowadays. Though a lot has been said about it yet many people are unaware of the risk factors involved. This disease is more widespread among men due to unsafe sexual activity.
One in five gay men is unaware of the fact that they are suffering from an HIV infection. Though it is not contained to any particular ethnic group yet we can see a pattern in the instances of AIDS among gay men. This trend is most common among black men of whom 28% are HIV positive. Among Hispanics it is 18% and among whites it is 16%. A lack of education and low financial resources are a major cause of an increase in AIDS. But it has been found that in the gay community even well educated and financially secure persons are suffering from it.
Studies are being conducted all over the world to study this pattern and find some means to curtail it. In Melbourne Dr. Mark Strove inspected 745 gay men and studied their risk patterns. He conducted saliva tests on them to find out how many of them were suffering from AIDS. Self reporting is not a reliable source of information as many of them didn’t even know their HIV status. He found almost 10% of them to test positive for HIV. Out of every five gay men who tested positive one of them was unsure of his status or thought he was HIV negative. Studies have proved that the number of HIV positive men is higher than what has actually been reported. With inaccurate data it is difficult to keep a track of the number of patients. It also facilitates the spread of AIDS.
This is an alarming trend as this could lead to many more people getting this disease. Lack of awareness and ignorance are the key factors. It was found that with exposure and information regarding the disease can prevent this indiscriminate spread.
These studies are important because they can tell us about the onward transmission of HIV. It is a serious health concern. Once someone knows they are infected with the HIV virus they can bring about changes in their lifestyle. By modifying their risk behavior they can prevent transferring the infection to anyone else. This trend is more prevalent in the gay community. People frequenting gay bars and pubs pick up strangers without knowing their sexual history. Even if they get infected the symptoms are not evident from the beginning. So they are mostly unaware of this situation unless they undergo an annual health checkup or take part in some tests like the ones conducted by Dr. Mark Strove.
The only way to ensure is to take all precautions and keep undergoing frequent tests. If HIV infection is detected in its infancy it can be controlled. HIV is currently wrecking havoc in our society. It can be found in all economic strata. People need to understand the importance of HIV testing. It should be made more easily accessible to all.