Earlier Recognition of HIV: A Pressing Need
Denmark 
17 slide(s) – 00:13:26 – English – 2009-11-11
The negative public health aspects of late presentation of HIV will be reviewed, as well be ongoing initiatives aimed at reducing this.
Undiagnosed HIV result in the development of severe and life-threatening immunodeficiency; a course which timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) can prevent. ART may also reduce sexual transmission of HIV. Early diagnosis of HIV would also allow for targeted instruction in safe-sex lifestyle by professional health providers. However, there remains a significant and unaltered rate of HIV-infected persons that presents late for care. The HIV in Europe initiative (http://www.hiveurope.eu/) aims to provide evidence to improve this situation, including generating a consensus definition of what is meant by a late presenter, methods to estimate the size of the infected not yet diagnosed population of HIV-infected persons within a given region, implement a quantifiable stigma index aimed at imprving this major barrier to accessing HIV care, and mapping the legistation that criminalises HIV-related life style. The initiative was started in 2007 and involves patient advocates, health policy makers and health care professionals.
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