Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is a serious infection that damages the immune system, indicates the Mayo Clinic. In the late stages of the illness, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, develops. Although there is no cure for this life-threatening condition, many individuals live for decades with drug treatment and good disease management.
Demographics
People with HIV can be found in large cities and rural communities. The infection affects all age groups but is more common in adults. HIV Info Source, a website maintained by the NYU Center for AIDS Research, reports that 17 percent of people diagnosed with HIV or AIDS in 2004 were between the ages of 35 and 39 years. Males accounted for 73 percent of HIV/AIDS cases in that year. Black Americans accounted for half of the new diagnoses, but cases among white Americans were on the increase.
Transmission Routes
HIV is transmitted by contact with contaminated blood or other body fluids. In 2004, one-third of diagnosed HIV and AIDS cases were attributable to male-female sexual contact; 47 percent of those diagnosed had been infected during male-male sexual contact. The remaining 20 percent of diagnosed cases occurred from intravenous drug use, infection during birth and other routes of transmission.
Needs at Diagnosis
A diagnosis of HIV is often frightening. Emotions range from rage to despair to shame, depending on the individual. People with an initial diagnosis of HIV need a good physician who can explain the effect HIV has had on their immune system, their prognosis and their treatment options. Having supportive family members and friends is beneficial as they navigate the health care system and possibly deal with lifestyle changes.
Long-Term Needs
People with HIV must make their health needs a priority to increase the odds they will have a long period of time between initial infection and the development of AIDS. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that eating a proper diet and following a doctor's advice can lengthen this period of time, but poor nutrition and extreme stress can shorten it. It is also important that people with HIV monitor their body for new infections, which can prove life threatening with a compromised immune system. Medications for HIV have numerous side effects, which must be effectively managed as well.
Stress Management
Common stressors experienced by people with HIV include the management of physician and lab work appointments, anxiety while waiting for test results, coping with high medical costs, facing potential discrimination based on HIV status, judgment from family or community members, lifestyle changes and inability to earn an income because of illness or medication side effects. These multiple stressors must be effectively managed or their impact can damage the person's physical and emotional health. Many people with HIV seek help through counseling, spirituality, talking with friends or sharing experiences with others who have HIV.
