People urged to get tested for HIV after late diagnoses rise
RESIDENTS are being urged to get tested for HIV, as new statistics reveal Rochdale has the highest rate in the country of late diagnoses.
Figures from Public Health England show that 70 per cent of people who test positive for HIV are only getting tested for the virus once symptoms appear.
The new study from Better2Know makes Rochdale the joint-highest in the country, and the rate has increased.
For 2014-16, 53.3pc of newly diagnosed HIV cases received a late diagnosis, with 16 cases in total.
However, for 2016-18 the rate increased to 70pc over the three-year period - though there were a total of just seven cases.
With National HIV testing week having just ended, Wendy Meston,
Consultant in Public Health at Rochdale Borough Council, wanted to raise awareness and is encouraging people to get tested.
She said: “These statistics relate to a small number of people, and we are glad to see a substantial reduction in numbers from 2016. However, late diagnosis is avoidable and we are doing a lot of work to bring this number down further, including awareness raising of HIV testing and training for frontline staff in GP practices, delivered by George House Trust. These approaches will help normalise HIV testing and reduce the prevalence of late diagnosis in our borough.”
The study by Better2Know, the sexual health experts behind the STI testing for E4’s The Sex Clinic, shows that new cases in the country are on the decline.
However, 43pc of newly diagnosed HIV cases in England overall still receive a late diagnosis, increasing their risk of mortality ten-fold.
A late HIV diagnosis is when a patient has tested positive after the virus has already started to damage the immune system as measured by an immune cell count.
Michael Asher, founder of Better2Know, said: “Depending on where you live, the late HIV diagnosis rate varies between 19 and 70 per cent. As early diagnosis dramatically improves both morbidity rates and treatment outcomes, HIV diagnostic services must focus on getting people tested as early as possible after possible infection.”
The borough has community drop-in testing clinics run by George House Trust and Black Health agency. People can also visit Rochdale’s sexual health service run by Virgin Care. Visit www. thesexualhealthhub.co.uk or call 0300 303 8565.
Self-sampling postal kits are available through It Starts With Me and can be ordered from www. startswithme.org.uk/