Gareth Thomas, the Welsh former professional rugby player, and ViiV Healthcare have announced the launch of the Tackle HIV campaign, an initiative aimed at improving levels of public understanding of HIV and breaking the stigma around it.
Results of the recent Tackle HIV survey, conducted amongst 4,000 adults in the UK, demonstrated that misunderstanding and stigma continue to exist despite advances in science and medicine.
61% of people surveyed said if they found out a potential partner was HIV positive they would or might end the relationship, the main reason given being worried about contracting HIV themselves (81%). Also, 17% said they would be embarrassed if someone found out their partner had HIV. Fewer than one in five people (19%) know that if a person living with HIV is taking effective treatment, they cannot pass it on to their sexual partner.
The Tackle HIV campaign will work to change negative perceptions and make HIV better understood and accepted by the general public through media, social media, and on-the-ground initiatives.
National AIDS Trust (NAT), the charity dedicated to transforming society’s response to HIV, has lent their support for the campaign.
Deborah Gold, NAT Chief Executive, said: ‘Science and the treatment of HIV have come so far, but public knowledge has not kept up. It is saddening that in this recent survey 61% of people said they would or might end a relationship if they found out a potential partner was living with HIV.”
‘Many people living with HIV enjoy healthy, happy relationships, but mindsets like those reported here can have a significant impact. In 2017 one in eight people with HIV had never told anyone outside of healthcare. Poor mental health, loneliness and isolation all disproportionately affect people living with HIV. Seeing these survey findings, it’s not hard to see why. We must get to the heart of these underlying attitudes and address them, starting with making sure that people know basic facts about HIV, like the fact that you cannot acquire HIV from someone on treatment.
‘We welcome the launch of the Tackle HIV campaign and applaud the contribution Gareth is making to improve the public’s understanding of HIV. The Government must take heed of these findings and do their bit to ensure that people living with HIV have access to support and have proper protection from discrimination in law.’
For more info on the Tackle HIV campaign, visit their website.
For more info on NAT, visit their website.
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