June
24
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HEALTH – Get tested, with Europe’s first HIV self test
26,000 people in the UK are unaware they have HIV and are unknowingly responsible for the majority of onwards transmissions.
Almost half of newly diagnosed cases in 2013 were diagnosed later than treatment should have started, impacting health and life expectancy.
One in four people who have HIV are not aware that they have it.
Knowing your HIV status is important. It is possible to reduce or eliminate your risk by making safe and informed choices in your life. The fact is that HIV is preventable.
In the UK, according to Public Health England, 95% of people diagnosed with HIV acquired it through sexual contact, mainly through unprotected vaginal or anal sex. It is possible to catch HIV through unprotected oral sex but the risk is far lower.
Around 110,000 people are living with HIV in the UK and approximately 26,000 remain undiagnosed. Early diagnosis is vital so effective treatment can be given to protect your health and also to prevent onward transmission. Many people lead long and normal lives with early detection and appropriate treatment. Late diagnosis can result in unnecessary illness and reduce your life expectancy. People who remain unaware of their HIV status are unknowingly the source of the majority of new infections.
Regardless of your HIV status everyone needs to have knowledge of HIV and how it is transmitted. Understanding safer sex and the effective use of condoms are crucial in protecting your own and others health. This can help to give confidence in negotiating safer sex and addressing possible risk taking behaviour.
Now you can self-test, with Europe’s first HIV Self Test. Don’t wait, test today.
Heart London Magazine 