When researchers, support workers and health experts gathered on the Sunshine Coast for the combined Australasian HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health Conference late last month there was welcomed news about Australia’s success in reducing the number of new diagnoses of HIV.
A new report from The Kirby Institute revealed there were 552 new cases of HIV in Australia in 2021, half the number of cases that were reported a decade ago.
Dr Skye McGregor from the Kirby Institute said while it was a dramatic drop in case numbers, there was still concern about the number of late diagnoses.
“HIV has been declining in Australia since 2015 and this is the lowest number recorded since the beginning of the HIV epidemic. Australia should be very pleased with this sustained downward trend in diagnoses. The declines are likely the result of high uptake of HIV prevention measures including pre-exposure prophylaxis, testing and high levels of treatment among people living with HIV.” Dr McGregor said.
“However, we need to consider these particularly low numbers in 2020 and 2021 within a context of changes to testing and sexual behaviour brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is evidence of a decrease in testing, a decrease in casual sexual partners, as well as a decrease in the movement of people in and out of Australia.
“As we emerge from the pandemic and return to pre-pandemic behaviours, it’s important to remember to re-adopt HIV prevention measures, and to test frequently. As HIV testing rates also return to pre-pandemic levels, it is possible we will see increases in the number of HIV diagnoses,” Dr McGregor said.
Most new HIV cases continued to be among gay and bisexual men, who accounted for more than two-thirds (68 per cent) of cases in 2021.
More than a quarter of cases (27 per cent) were attributed to heterosexual sex. While the proportion of cases attributed to heterosexual sex has increased, the number of diagnoses attributed to heterosexual sex has declined, but at a slower rate compared to the decline in cases among gay and bisexual men.
Almost half of all new HIV diagnoses in 2021 were considered late diagnoses. This means that the person diagnosed had been living with HIV for four or more years without knowing their HIV status and was experiencing HIV-related illness.
Scott Harlum, President of National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA), says that late diagnoses are more common among people who acquire HIV through heterosexual sex.
“These communities may not have perceived themselves to be at risk. It is very important that we normalise HIV testing among heterosexual people. If you are getting tested for sexually transmissible infections, you should test for HIV too. Early diagnosis is crucial to support the health of individuals, as well as prevent onward transmission,” Harlum said.
In good news, HIV diagnoses remained very low among female sex workers and people who inject drugs, reflecting the ongoing success of HIV prevention programs targeting these populations.
“Australia is very fortunate to have low HIV rates among these populations. We need to ensure that health programs and services supporting these groups, such as needle and syringe programs and peer-led prevention programs for people engaged in sex work, are sustained. There is also more work to be done to challenge the stigma and discrimination experienced by these groups, which creates social and legal barriers to accessing care,” Dr McGregor said.
In Western Australia there were 78 new diagnoses, 55 of these occurred in Australia, while 23 people received their first diagnosis of HIV overseas.
OIP Staff
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