Growing Number of People with HIV in West of Ireland Already at Advanced Stage of Illness When Diagnosed, Study Finds
A new study has found that a growing number of people in the west of Ireland are being diagnosed with HIV at an advanced stage of illness, when treatment is less effective.
The study, which was published in the journal HIV Medicine, found that the proportion of people diagnosed with HIV at an advanced stage in the west of Ireland increased from 35% in 2010 to 50% in 2019.
This increase is significantly higher than the national average, which has remained stable at around 40% over the same period.
The study also found that people in the west of Ireland are more likely to be diagnosed with HIV late if they are men, gay or bisexual, or from a non-Irish background.
The authors of the study say that the findings are concerning and suggest that there is a need for targeted interventions to improve early diagnosis of HIV in the west of Ireland.
'We need to do more to raise awareness of HIV and to encourage people to get tested, especially if they are at high risk of infection,' said Dr. Sarah McCormack, lead author of the study.
'We also need to make sure that people who are diagnosed with HIV have access to early treatment, which can help them to live longer, healthier lives.'
The study was funded by the Health Research Board and the Irish Research Council.
References
* McCormack, S., et al. (2020). Increasing proportion of people with HIV diagnosed at an advanced stage in the west of Ireland: a retrospective cohort study. HIV Medicine, 21(1), 1-7.
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