themselves and their clients protected. This course outlines the need-to-know information surrounding HIV/AIDS to keep professionals and clients informed and protected in
terms of identification, contraction, prevention, disclosure, and legal ramifications.
MYTHS ASSOCIATED WITH HIV/AIDS MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS
numbers may be startling, they underscore the importance of obtaining and communicating factual information and prevention tips to slow the spread and progression of HIV/ AIDS. Having accurate information is the key to understanding and preventing HIV transmission and working safely and respectfully with HIV-positive clients. The following are commonly believed myths and misconceptions paired with facts about HIV/AIDS.
After recognizing AIDS as a new disease in 1981 and HIV as its cause in 1984, science has made great strides in research and trends that have changed the way we look at and work with HIV/AIDS. Although our knowledge of the disease has increased, approximately 1.2 million people were still living with HIV at the end of 2021 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2023c). In 2020, an estimated 30,635 new infections occurred in the U.S. (CDC, 2023c). This number represents a decline after a period of relative stability. It is estimated that about 13% of those living with the disease remain undiagnosed to date. While the
MYTH 1: There is a cure for HIV/AIDS
Despite advances in treatments, there is currently no cure readily available for HIV-positive individuals. There have been rare cases publicized through research findings and clinical trials in which extreme treatments have been thought to cure HIV. To date, it appears that the patients’ new immune systems have remained free of HIV, yet more study is necessary to ensure that the bloodstream continues to remain free of any HIV genetic material throughout the duration of the patient’s life. Scientists continue to monitor these patients to determine if the disease was in fact cured, rather than simply sent into a sustained remission. Although such treatments show promise, they are expensive and carry great risk. Current treatments for HIV/AIDS offer a safer alternative for a normal life span. Fortunately, an ever-evolving understanding of the virus and resulting illness has led to the development of medicines that are effectively treating the disease for those who take them regularly. These treatments can reduce the viral load (i.e., the amount of HIV in the blood) to the point that it is undetectable (i.e., unable to be seen in laboratory tests). Maintaining an undetectable viral load helps prevent the progression of the virus and stops the development of AIDS and opportunistic infections. Research is still being done to identify new treatments and improve existing regimens to further ease the burden for HIV carriers and their health providers. Every day, more is learned to identify new ways of preventing HIV infection. Even without a cure, people can live full, happy, and healthy lives despite their HIV diagnosis. HIV and AIDS are commonly mistaken as interchangeable terms for the same disease . However, they are distinct terms that are not transposable. HIV is a virus that attacks a person’s immune system. If left untreated, it will develop into AIDS . AIDS is an immunodeficiency syndrome. It is the third and most advanced stage of infection caused by HIV. Most people in the United States who are living with HIV and receiving treatment do not have AIDS and will never progress to the AIDS phase of the disease . HIV progresses into AIDS when a person’s immune system is diminished to the point of not being able to combat certain kinds of infections and cancers. To determine the stage of infection caused by HIV, a lab test is conducted to identify the number of CD4 cells a person has. These cells fight infection. A CD4 cell count below 200 cubic millimeters in an HIV-infected person indicates an AIDS diagnosis (HIV.gov, 2023). Without medication, it can take between 2 and 10 years or longer for an HIV-positive person to develop AIDS. A person with such a low CD4 cell count may have a high viral load. Revolutions in medications and treatments make it possible for HIV carriers to live long, healthy lives. In the Western world, where resources are available for treatment, HIV has been downgraded from a fatal virus to a chronic, life-threatening illness (similar to some cancers, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension). The virus becomes life-threatening once the infection progresses to the third and most severe stage, AIDS. However, in many cases, individuals diagnosed with AIDS can be reversed back to HIV after starting anti-HIV drug “cocktails,” regaining their health, and returning to a normal life. There are many treatments that can now help people with HIV, each attacking the virus in their own way. As a result, many HIV-positive people are living much longer and healthier lives than ever before. Medicines today can slow the growth of the virus or stop it from making copies of itself. These therapies cannot fully eradicate the virus from the bloodstream but are able to keep the amount of virus in the blood at low or undetectable levels. Clinical and research trials continue to develop new knowledge about the virus and its treatments and the potential pathway to a cure. Today’s treatment and prevention interventions are the result of scientific advances funded through federal and private investments in basic, biomedical, behavioral, and social science research. All findings point to the fact that starting treatment for HIV early (as soon as possible after diagnosis) significantly improves the patient’s health and reduces the risk of illness and death, decreasing the risk of onward transmission by 96% (Kaiser Family Foundation [KFF], 2023).
MYTH 2: HIV and AIDS are the same thing
MYTH 3: HIV diagnosis is a death sentence
EliteLearning.com/Cosmetology
Book Code: CFL1025
Page 20
Powered by FlippingBook